PROVIDENCE, R.I. — Brandeis University senior righty Colin Markel (Scarsdale, N.Y./Scarsdale) struck out a career-high seven batters in his second complete game of the season, but it wasn't enough as the Judges were edged by host Rhode Island College, 3-2, at Anchorman Field today. The Judges fall to 7-12 overall, 1-4 in games in New England. RIC improves to 7-10.
Both teams scored in the first inning. The Judges loaded the bases with one out, but only came away with one run. Rookie catcher Connor Doyle (Avon, Conn./Avon Old Farms) walked with one away, and a double by classmate 3B Greg Heineman (Wilbraham, Mass./Minnechaug Regional) put two runners in scoring position. Junior 1B Kyle Brenner (Brookfield, Mass./St. Peter-Marian) was hit by a pitch to load the bases, and another rookie, DH Cameron Shaw (E. Setauket, N.Y./Ward Melville), lofted a sacrifice fly to left to open the scoring. After junior 2B Rob Trenk (West Orange, N.J./West Orange) singled on a comebacker to RIC sophomore hurler Angelo St. Laurent (Cranston, R.I./Bishop Hendricken), St. Laurent escaped further damage with a strikeout.
The Anchormen scored two of their own in the bottom of the first. They tied the game an RBI triple by junior 1B Tyler Santaniello (Cumberland, R.I./Lincoln), who scored on a ground out by senior DH Justin Rainville (Cumberland, R.I./Woonsocket).
Brandeis evened the game in the top of the fifth. Senior Brian Ing (Sandwich, Mass./Sandwich) led off with a single to center. He moved to second on a balk and third when Doyle reached safely on a bunt attempt. Heineman drove a ball to center field to knot the score, but St. Laurent induced a double play to keep the score at 2-2.
Markel worked around a lead-off double in the fifth, fielding a come-backer to cut down the runner at the plate two batters later. The Brandeis defense held in the sixth as well, when right fielder Ryan Tettemer (Westfield, Mass./Suffield Acad.) hosed a runner at the plate.
The Anchormen finally broke through in the seventh. Junior left fielder Chris Siravo (Wakefield, R.I./Prout School), who was erased at the plate two innings earlier, led off with a single to center. He moved to second on a bunt, but was still there after Markel got a fly-out. Junior 2B Dean Beshansky (Cumberland, R.I./Cumberland) followed with the game-winning hit, a seeing-eye single up the middle.
The Judges threatened with two runners and two away in the top of the eighth, but rookie Jake Roy (Seekonk, Mass./Seekonk) got a lineout to left to end the threat, and junior Joe Brooks (Pawtucket, R.I./St. Raphael) retired the side in order in the ninth for the save.
Roy's three-inning outing allowing just the two base-runners was enough for his first career win. Markel suffered the loss after allowing the Anchormen eight hits and three earned runs. He walked just one and fanned seven, two more than his previous career-high. Markel falls to 1-2 on the season.
Brandeis returns to action on Sunday afternoon at noon when they take on Framingham State in a doubleheader in their home opener on Stein Diamond.
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