BABSON PARK, Mass. (taken from a Babson College press release) - Sophomore lefthander Mark Donnellan (Walpole, Mass.) pitched the Babson College baseball team to a much-needed victory on Monday, as the Beavers claimed a 4-2 win over local rival Brandeis University in a non-conference contest at Govoni Field. The victory snapped a three-game slide for Babson, which improved to 8-6 overall, while the Judges slipped to 7-7 on the year.

Making the first start of his collegiate career, Donnellan (2-0) went six strong innings, giving up just two runs, both of which were unearned, on five hits, walked three and struck out five. The 6-foot-4 southpaw gave way to junior Robbie Leer (Edina, Minn.) with a man on in the seventh, and Leer got the next seven outs before leaving with one on and one out in the ninth. First-year ave Ahern (Bedford, Mass.) came on to get the final two outs to earn his first collegiate save.

Babson took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first, as junior Matt Delaney (Newton, Mass.) doubled to left and scored on a single to right by sophomore Jeff Wojnar (Bellaire, Texas). Delaney then set the table again in the third, as he drew a two-out walk, moved to second on a single by Wojnar, and scored on a single to left by senior tri-captain Ryan Campbell (Manchester, N.H.) to give the Beavers a 2-0 cushion.

Brandeis tied the game with two unearned runs off Donnellan in the fifth, as first-year James Likis (Cambridge, Mass.) led off with a walk and moved to second on a base hit by first-year Ryan Healey (Lynn, Mass.). After an error loaded the bases, sophomore Mike Alfego (Shrewsbury, Mass.) drove in Likis with a fielder's choice grounder to short and senior Ben Dashefsky (Massapequa, N.Y.) followed with a sacrifice fly to right that scored Healey, tying the game at 2-2.

The Beavers took the lead for good in the bottom of the fifth, when junior Steve Tahmoush (Arlington, Mass.) doubled to right-center and later scored on a two-out, bases loaded error on a ground ball by first-year Peter O'Toole (Salem, Mass.). Babson would tack on an insurance run in the sixth when senior tri-captain Andrew Collins (South Boston, Mass.) walked, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by fellow senior tri-captain Billy Schmitt (Fairview, N.J.), and scored on Tahmoush's second double of the afternoon.

Junior Craig Letendre (Acushnet, Mass.) started and went 5 1/3 innings for Brandeis, giving up four runs, three earned, on eight hits, walking four and fanning two. The loss evened his season record at 1-1. Junior Chuck Sheehan (Lexington, Mass.) went 2-for-3 in the loss for the Judges, while juniors Chris McDonough (Sudbury, Mass.) and Pat Mathews (Easton, Mass.) combined to pitch 2 2/3 scoreless innings of relief.