BABSON PARK, Mass. (courtesy Babson sports info) – Senior Steve Tahmoush (Arlington, Mass.) lined a single down the left field line to score sophomore pinch-runner Chris Wood (Medford, Mass.) from third as the Babson College baseball team defeated local rival Brandeis University, 5-4, in non-conference action on Wednesday afternoon. With the win, the Beavers improved to 11-7 overall, while the Judges fell to 8-5.

Babson grabbed a 2-0 lead against Brandeis starter Craig Letendre (Acushnet, Mass.) in the bottom of the third, as sophomore Jake Bartlett (Weymouth, Mass.) singled in classmate Dave Ahern (Bedford, Mass.) and sophomore Brian Scanlon (Lawrenceville, N.J.) followed with an RBI double that plated senior Robbie Leer (Edina, Minn.).

Brandeis got one run back on sophomore John O’Brion’s (Portland, Maine) fourth home run of the season in the fourth, and then took the lead with a pair of runs in the fifth. Senior Chuck Sheehan (Lexington, Mass.) singled in first-year Pat Nicholson (East Walpole, Mass.) to tie the game at 2-2, and senior Malcolm Cole-Coleman (Portland, Maine) scored the go-ahead run on a sacrifice fly to right by first-year Tony Deshler (Pepperell, Mass.).

The Beavers regained the lead in the bottom of the seventh, as Scanlon and sophomore Peter O’Toole (Salem, Mass.) recorded back-to-back RBI singles. Brandeis then tied the game again with an unearned run in the top of the eighth, when sophomore Drake Livada (Cape Elizabeth, Maine) reached on an error and scored on an RBI single to right by sophomore Artie Posch (Hopedale, Mass.).

The score remained tied until the bottom of the 10th, when Scanlon drew a lead-off walk and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by O’Toole. Scanlon was then replaced by pinch-runner Wood, who advanced to third on senior Andrew Nodine’s (Portland, Maine) groundout to second. Tahmoush would clinch the win moments later, when he lined a two-out single down the line in left.

Senior John Hudspeth (Mount Laurel, N.J.) earned his third straight win in relief for the Beavers, as he allowed one unearned run on three hits while fanning two in three innings to improve to 3-0 on the year. Senior starter Jon Igoe (Lexington, Mass.) was also outstanding in the no decision for Babson, giving up three runs on five hits, walking two and striking out one in seven strong innings.

Sophomore Kyle Ritchie (Brewster, Mass.) suffered the loss despite tossing three solid innings of hitless relief. He allowed just one run on two walks and struck out two in falling to 0-1 on the year.