WALTHAM, Mass. – Suffolk University senior Rony Mercado (Boston, Mass.) tossed a complete-game four-hitter to lead the Rams past host Brandeis University, 5-1, on Stein Diamond today.

Suffolk (7-6) took advantage of two Brandeis errors in the first inning to open up a 2-0 lead. With one away, senior RF Trevor Grimshaw (Macungie, Pa.) reached on a miscue at shortstop and moved to second on sophomore LF Greg DiMarco's (Newton, Mass.) single. After a Brandeis sophomore starter Tyler Robinson (Manotick, Ontario) got the next out and surrendered a walk to load the bases, Suffolk rookie 1B Mark Pinetti (Stoughton, Mass.) hit a ball up the middle. Brandeis senior 2B Scott Kuhen (Hamilton, N.J.) made a spectacular play to keep the ball in the infield, but his flip to second base got away, allowing two runs to come home. The Rams tacked on three more runs before Brandeis was able to get a runner past second.

The Judges (6-4) broke through with two out in the seventh inning. Junior RF Ben Dashefsky (Massapequa, N.Y.) got hit by a pitch and stole second base. Junior LF Jeff Bourdon (No. Adams, Mass.) doubled to right-center field to drive home Brandeis's only run, but the Judges couldn't break through for anything else.

Suffolk was paced by Mercado's nine innings of four-hit ball. He struck out four and walked none, allowing just two hits through the first six frames as he improved to 2-0 on the season. DiMarco was the top performer at the plate, going 3-5 with an RBI and two runs scored, while Pinetti was 2-4, driving in one.

Brandeis's only RBI and extra-base hit came from Bourdon, who was 1-4 with a double. Robinson suffered the loss on the mound to fall to 2-1 on the season after allowing six hits in three innings of work.

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