KEENE, N.H. (taken from a Keene State press release) – Brandeis senior Sean O'Hare (southampton, Mass./Hampshire Regional) had his second straight strong game in his return from injury, but the Judges fell in a 7-0 hole after the first inning and couldn't climb out as they fell to Keene State, 16-8.
Owl senior Peter Burgio (Bolton, Conn.) got things started with a two-run triple to left center. Classmate Larry Longo (Londonderry, N.H.), who led Keene State's attack by going 4-5 with three runs and five RBIs, brought in another run with an RBI double. A pair of freshman also had run-producing hits in the inning. Chuck Vogt (Windsor Lock, Conn.) doubled down the left field line to score a run and Tanner Chase (York, Me.) added a two-run single. Junior Greg Bates (Salem, N.H.) completed the early uprising with a RBI single through the right side.
Brandeis scored three runs in the top of the third on RBI by O'Hare, rookie Kyle Brenner (Brookfield, Mass./St. Peter-Marian) and sophomore Pat Seaward (York, Maine/York). KSC got one run back on a RBI single by Kyle Morrill (Auburn, N.H.) to make it 8-3.
O'Hare led off the fifth inning with a solo home to cut the Owls lead to 8-4. It was his third round tripper in two days, giving him a team-leading four on the season and nine for his career. KSC came back with a single run in the bottom of the inning, two more runs in the sixth and a five-run seventh inning. Longo belted a two-run home run, his third dinger of the season, in the sixth and continued his fine day at the plate with a two-run single in the seventh.
Freshmen Ian Seawards (Dover, N.H.) and Tyler Estevez (East Hartford, Conn.), Morrill and Chase each finished the game with two hits.
Seaward, Brenner, O'Hare and freshman Zach Bardwell (North Andover, Mass.) each had two hits for the Judges, who finished the game with 13 hits.
Sophomore Shawn Egan (East Hartford, Conn.) started for the Owls and pitched two innings of one-hit ball. Senior Kyle O'Brien (Springfield, N.H.) the third of six pitches used by Howe in the game, picked up the win, improving his record to 2-0. He didn't allow a hit over 1.2 innings while walking a pair.
Senior Alex Tynan (Barnegat, N.J./Barnegat), who didn't get out of the first inning, took the loss for the Judges. He is now 0-3 on the season.