BROOKLYN, N.Y. – The Brandeis University baseball team completed a three-game sweep of NYU in the Violets' first home games in 41 years today as the Judges picked up a 3-1 victory at MCU Park on Coney Island in Brooklyn. The Judges (7-10), who took four out of five from the Violets (7-12) this season, earned head coach Pete Varney his 699th career victory in the process.
Varney is looking to become the 13th active Division III coach and 29th overall to reach the 700-win plateau. The Judges' next game is scheduled to be at home on Thursday, April 2, against Rhode Island College at 3:00 p.m.
Brandeis won today's pitchers' duel – the third meeting of the season between Judge rookie Sean O'Neill (Reading, Mass. / Reading Memorial) and NYU's Cameron Serapillo-Frank – thanks to three unearned runs.
With one out in the top of the third, Brandeis junior CF Liam O'Connor (Avon, Conn./Avon) singled to left and moved to second on a misplay in the outfield. After rookie SS Nick Falkson (Dedham, Mass./Thayer Acad.) moved him to third with a ground-out, junior RF Ryan Healy (Carlsbad, Calif./La Costa Canyon) hit one through the right side of the infield to open up the scoring.
The Judges added a pair of key insurance runs in the eighth. Senior 1B Tom McCarthy (Yonkers, N.Y./Fieldston School) singled up the middle with one out, chasing Serapillo-Frank. Reliever Matthew Millus got a called third strike on the first batter he faced, but put McCarthy into scoring position on a passed ball. An error at third base on a ball hit by sophomore catcher Connor Doyle (Avon, Conn./Avon Old Farms) put two runners in scoring position, and sophomore LF Ryan Tettemer (Westfield, Mass./Suffield Acad.) made NYU pay with a single to right, making the score 3-0.
O'Neill was in command for the Judges through the first six innings, allowing just two hits in that span. In the seventh he ran into a bit of trouble, issuing a leadoff walk to NYU SS Jonathan Iaione. O'Neill got the next two outs, but gave up a single to right field to 3B Sy Cohen to put a runner in scoring position. Pinch hitter Sam Raskin laced another ball to right, but Healy gunned down a runner at the plate to preserve the one-run lead.
The Judges ended up needing their insurance runs. Senior Brent Edmunds (North Hampton, N.H./Winnacunnet) came in to relieve O'Neill to start the eighth inning. He retired the first five batters he faced before RF David Wagner singled, stole second and scored on catcher Scott Hilbrandt's single through the left side. Hilbrandt got into scoring position on a wild pitch, but Edmunds induced Cohen to ground to short to end the game and earn his first collegiate save.
For Brandeis, O'Connor went 3-3 with a run scored, while Healy and Doyle each had two hits. O'Neill improved to 3-1 on the season with his fourth outing of at least seven innings. He allowed four hits and three walks, striking out two. Sixty-five of his 102 pitches were for strikes. Edmunds allowed the one run on two hits, striking out one.