WALTHAM, Mass. -- Steven Simon's walk-off double in the bottom of the ninth gave Brandeis a 4-3 win over the Bates baseball team Friday afternoon. 

The game was a terrific pitcher's duel throughout. Brandeis starter Asher Kaplan held the Bobcats (2-9) to five hits and two runs (one earned) over the first seven innings. He struck out 11 batters, six of which were looking. Kaplan came out after the seventh after throwing 102 pitches, 71 for strikes.

Meanwhile, Bates starter senior captain Braden Karess (Boxborough, Mass.) gave up three hits and two runs (one earned) over the first four innings, striking out two with one walk. Sophomore Corbin McAlpine (Boxborough, Mass.) allowed three hits and one earned run with four Ks over the next four frames.

Brandeis (7-2) opened the game with a run in the first without a hit, as Simon reached on an error and advanced to second on an errant pickoff throw. He then scored on a pair of wild pitches.

Bates took the lead in the fourth on RBI singles by junior Tyler Attal (Los Angeles) and sophomore Noah Jankowski (Methuen, Mass.), but Kaplan evaded further damage by snaring a line drive back through the box and getting Jankowski at first for a double play.

The Judges knotted the score in the bottom of the fourth when Dan Frey led off with a double, moved to third on a wild pitch and scored on a sacrifice fly from  Brian King. Frey then put the Judges ahead in the bottom of the sixth inning with a one-out solo home run. 

After Kaplan came out of the game, the Bobcats got to Brandeis reliever Jakob Newman for an unearned run in the eighth, loading the bases on an error and two singles. Jankowski hit a ground ball that was booted at second base, allowing the tying run to score. Newman struck out the next Bates hitter looking and get a sharp liner to shortstop to leave the sacks packed.

Newman (1-0) retired the side in order in the top of the ninth, setting up Simon's game-winning hit. With two away, Sam Nugent singled to left and moved to second when the ball skidded under the left fielder's glove. Simon followed with a couple of long foul balls before delivering his walk-off hit. 

For the Judges, Frey wielded the big bat, going 3-for-4 with two runs scored, a double, a home run and a stolen base. Simon was the team's only other multiple hitter, going 2-for-5 with a double, a run scored and an RBI.

Bates junior Henry Jamieson (St. Simons Island, Ga.) scored two of the team's runs, while Attal and senior captain Kevin Lucey (Topsfield, Mass.) each had two of the Bobcats' seven hits. Jankowski had two RBIs.

Bates has suffered three one-run losses on the season, two to the Judges. The Bobcats are back in action Saturday with a doubleheader at Springfield that gets underway at 12pm.