Brandeis Baseball

Halfway through an up and down season, the Brandeis baseball team looked forward to their second home game Friday afternoon. The judges, boosted by their faithful fan support, matched up against a hot Bridgewater state team.
Eli Harrington


Through a frustrating first half of the season, the Judges entered Friday’s contest with a record of ten wins and eight losses, with six of those losses by only two runs or less. Due to a manic schedule, the judges enjoy only eight total home games, with five scheduled during the spring vacation week.

This makes baseball a tough sport for fans, especially those in the Brandeis community. And with temperatures in the low forties and wind chills into the high twenties, only the heartiest of baseball fans were present for this game. Despite the cold weather and wind gusts, thick-skinned fans elaborated on a deeper bond that draws them to the baseball diamond.

Said one fan, “I don’t really like baseball, but I like the people on the team, and some of them come to watch our games, so I feel like I should support them…we’re all a little family”. In large part because of the efforts of the student advisory athletic committee, many Brandeis athletes feel a familial connection, a bond that has only increased over time.

Said another student, “When I was a freshman I can’t honestly say that I came to all the different sporting events, but in the past two years I’ve really gotten out to soccer games, basketball games, baseball games as many things as I could.” The student-athlete bond is certainly noticed and appreciated by the baseball team.

Baseball team members Artie and Nick agree that “I know our baseball team and most of the soccer guys went to watch all of the basketball games this past winter, and it’s good seeing that turn-around, vice-versa for baseball—where some of the basketball guys work doing the announcing, some of the soccer guys come and watch—and it’s just nice to see that. I think the biggest reason fan support has increased is not only the success of the team, but the baseball team, traditionally over the past twenty, thirty years here at Brandeis has been very successful. It also has a lot to do with the comraderie of the student athletes at Brandeis. I know that the baseball team is one of the biggest supporters of all other athletics. No matter the sport, no matter whether it’s a men’s or women’s sport, whatever non-baseball athletic activity you go to at Brandeis you’re more than likely to see a number of Brandeis baseball player, and I think other student-athletes see that and respect that, and that’s why they come out to support it, almost to return the favor. That’s why they come to our games. Because there is a big comraderie here at Brandeis between the athletes, and we all want to support one another and see one another do really well.”

For all fans, whether fellow athlete, friend, or just baseball fan, the Brandeis Judges will return to Stein Diamond on Sunday, April 20th, playing a double header against Bowdoin starting at 1PM.

Check the middle sidebar on the right for exclusive, web only footage of the team playing down in Florida!