PROVIDENCE, R.I. (courtesy Rhode Island College sports information) - Junior second baseman Joan Mustafa (Providence, R.I.) went 4-for-4 with four runs scored, four RBI, a double and a home run, while freshman starter Stephen Lapatin (Cranston, R.I.) earned his third win (3-2), to lead Rhode Island College to a 10-5 win over Brandeis in collegiate baseball action played at Anchorman Field on Thursday afternoon.
Lapatin allowed three runs (two earned) on seven hits and struck out three in six full innings of work.
Brandeis (5-22) took an early, 1-0, lead in the top of the first as freshman right fielder Zach Bardwell (North Andover, Mass./Central Catholic) led off with a single and stole second. With two down, graduate designated hitter Pat Nicholson (Walpole, Mass./Walpole) doubled to right center to bring in Bardwell with the game's first run.
The Anchormen (13-8) stormed back in the second as sophomore designated hitter Alex Verrecchia (Cranston, R.I.) was hit by a pitch to leadoff and promptly scored on freshman right fielder Dean Grasso's (Cranston, R.I.) triple to center field. Mustafa followed with an RBI single through the left side. With runners on first and third and one down, Mustafa trotted home on an error to stake the hosts to a 3-1 advantage.
In the fourth, the hosts struck again as Mustafa and junior third baseman Cody Ortega (Kissimmee, Fla.) reached on respective singles and came across on senior center fielder Victor Baez's (Providence, R.I.) two-run double to left field. After rounding second, the Judges attempted to nab Baez, but the throw sailed into the outfield and allowed him to score, giving the Anchormen a 6-1 lead.
An inning later, Verrecchia and Grasso each singled and both scored on Mustafa's first homer of the season, which made the score, 9-1.
Brandeis attempted a comeback in the sixth as senior catcher Kenny Destremps (Mashpee, Mass./Mashpee) singled and later scored on a ground ball 4-6-3 double play. Junior left fielder Pat Seaward (York, Maine/York) reached on an error and then scored on freshman first baseman Kyle Brenner's (Brookfield, Mass./St. Peter-Marian) double to right field, which made it a 9-3 ballgame.
RIC reached double digits in the sixth as senior catcher J.P. Stone (Narragansett, R.I.) walked and eventually scored on a wild pitch.
The Judges put two across in the seventh against junior reliever Mike Farias (West Greenwich, R.I.) as senior center fielder Zach Malis (Merrick, N.Y./Bellmore JFK) and Destremps smacked singles to put runners at first and second with two down. Freshman shortstop Brian Allen (Salem, N.H./Central Catholic) tripled to center field to make it 10-5 and was thrown out at the plate to end the frame while trying for the inside the park homer.
Grasso went 2-for-4 with two runs scored, an RBI and a triple. Ortega, Baez and senior left fielder Brent Hopkins (Cranston, R.I.) each picked up two hits.
Destremps went 2-for-4 with two runs scored, while Allen also picked up two hits and knocked in a pair.
Brandeis junior starter Mike Swerdloff (Scarsdale, N.Y./Ardsley) took the loss (1-4), allowing nine runs (seven earned) on 14 hits to go along with two strikeouts in 5.0 innings of work.