MEDFORD, Mass. (taken from a Tufts University press release) – Junior pitcher Carlos Lopez (Brooklyn, NY) allowed no runs and three hits in 6.2 innings of work to pace the Tufts Baseball team to a 2-0 victory over local rival Brandeis University on Tuesday afternoon at Huskins Field.

Lopez held the Judges hitless into the fifth inning until sophomore 3B Malcolm Cone-Coleman (Portland, ME) singled. Brandeis would put runners on second and third in the inning, but Lopez escaped the threat with a ground out. Sophomores Adam Telian (Stoughton, MA) and Jason Protano (Milford, MA) closed out the win for Tufts, with Protano earning his first save with a 1-2-3 ninth (two strike outs).

Brandeis starter Tyler Robinson (Manotick, ONT) also pitched well, giving up six hits and striking out eight in 6.1 innings. Tufts scored its first run in the second following a lead-off double into the right-center gap by junior 1B Bryan McDavitt (Holden, MA). He came home on a single by junior C Chris Decembrele (Walpole, MA) with two outs.

The Jumbos extended their lead to 2-0 with three singles in the fifth. Senior CF Jim O’Leary (North Easton, MA) had a one-out base hit, moved to third on a base hit by freshman RF Brian McDonough (Hanover, MA), then scored on a single by junior LF Kyle Backstrom (Worcester, MA).

The Judges had base-runners in the seventh against Lopez. Junior DH Jon Winston (Nanuet, MA) led off with a walk and went to third on a two-out single by Cone-Coleman. Telian entered the game and promptly picked Cone-Coleman off first to end the inning.

Backstrom and Decembrele each went 2 for 3 to lead Tufts’ seven-hit attack. Cone-Coleman had two hits and a stolen base for the Judges. Senior Aaron Landes (Southborough, MA) pitched 1.1 innings of scoreless, one-hit relief for the visitors.

Tufts, playing its first home game in their 19th game of the season, improved to 12-7 overall. Brandeis fell to 12-7-1.