BRISTOL, R.I. (courtesy RWU Sports Information) – A trio of costly errors hurt the Brandeis baseball team in an 8-1 defeat at the hands of Roger Williams University today as the Hawks took advantage of three errors over the course of the seventh and eighth innings to score all eight runs.
Senior Dylan Britton (Poughquag, N.Y./Arlington) was dealing early on for the Judges, taking a no-hitter into the top of the fifth inning. He allowed his first hit of the game in the fifth on a leadoff single by Mike Thomas (Plainville, Conn.). However, the runner would not hurt Britton as junior 3B Dominic Schwartz (San Francisco, Calif./Lowell) doubled up Thomas at first after catching a hard-hit line drive by Jaime Timothy (Cohasset, Mass.). Britton would then get a strikeout to continue to hold the Hawks scoreless.
Britton's counterpart, Dan Julian (Stratford, Conn.), also pitched solidly for the Hawks, retiring the first nine batters in a row. Julian got into a jam in the fourth, with senior catcher Chris Ferro (Walpole, Mass./Walpole) leading off with a single and eventually moving to third. Ferro would score on an RBI groundout by Kyle Brenner (Brookfield, Mass./St. Peter-Marian), but that would be all Julian allowed as he escaped with just one allowed run despite having runners at second and third with one out.
Brandeis held the Hawks scoreless until the seventh, when RWU put three runs across with the help of a couple of Judge miscues. Matt Jefferis (Cheshire, Conn.) led off with a single, followed by Trevor Larson coming in to pinch run. Larson was sacrificed over to second, but then moved to third on a misplayed ball at second. With the bases loaded, Larson scored on a fielder's choice by Timothy. Mike Pascarella (Milford, Conn.) followed with an RBI single, and would later score after stealing third and coming home on an errant throw in Brandeis' attempt to catch him stealing.
Holding a 3-1 lead, the Hawks kept things going in the eighth, scoring five unearned runs in the inning. After loading the bases with two outs, a dropped pop-up at second base allowed Larson and Chris Travers (East Freetown, Mass.) to score to make it 5-1 RWU. Timothy stepped up next with a two-RBI triple to right center, followed by another RBI single by Pascarella to put the Hawks up by seven towards the win.
Britton took the hard-luck loss, allowing three unearned runs in seven innings, dropping to 4-3 on the season. Pat Seaward (York, Maine/York) was 2-for-3 for Brandeis, while Schwartz was 2-for-4. Brenner finished 1-for-3 with an RBI.
Josh Orosz (Fairfield, Conn.) earned the win in relief of Julian, pitching 3.1 scoreless innings. Julian allowed the one run in 4.2 innings of work, while Tyler Pogmore (Lebanon, Conn.) tossed a scoreless ninth. Timothy finished 1-for-4 with three RBI and two runs, while Pascarella was 2-for-5 with two RBI and two stolen bases. Larson scored twice with a walk in his lone at-bat.
Roger Williams (20-13) steps back into CCC play Saturday with a noon doubleheader at Western New England, while Brandeis (9-18) hosts Springfield Saturday in a doubleheader.