AUBURNDALE, Fla. -- Brandeis junior righty Kyle Brenner (Brookfield, Mass./St. Peter Marian) was in control in his first outing of the 2014 season today, defeating Maritime (N.Y.) University, 5-0, with a complete-game six-hitter as part of the Russ Matt Invitational in Florida. With the win, the Judges improve to 2-1 on the season, while the Privateers suffer their first loss and fall to 0-1.

While allowing just six hits, Brenner struck out 13 Maritime hitters. It established a new career-high, eclipsing a 9-K performance from last season against Trinity College. The 13 punchout was the most in a game since Tyler Robinson '08 fanned that many in 2007. Brenner faced just six batters over the minimum to throw his eighth career complete game and his third shutout. It was just his second nine-inning complete game - to go with two seven-inning wins and a four complete-game defeats. Brenner threw 112 pitches, 77 for strikes.

With Brenner in control, the Judges knocked out nine hits and got all the scoring they would need in the first inning. With two away, senior DH Dan Gad (Mansfield, Mass./Mansfield) walked, moved to second on a single by rookie 3B Greg Heineman (Wilbraham, Mass./Minnechaug Regional) and scored on the third RBI in as many games by junior 1B Tom McCarthy (Yonkers, N.Y./Fieldston School). 

The Judges had a golden opportunity to blow things open in the second when they loaded the bases with none out. Sophomore CF Liam O'Connor (Avon, Conn./Avon) grounded to second to plate Brandeis's second run, but Maritime hurler Kurt Neimeyer worked out of trouble. Neimeyer suffered the loss The Privateers best chance to get on the board came in the top of the third, when freshman Brian McLaughlin and sophomore Paul Woodburn hit back-to-back one-out singles and advanced to second and third on a groundout. However, Woodburn was picked off by Brenner at second base to end the inning.

Sophomore catcher Connor Doyle (Avon, Conn./Avon Old Farms) was involved in two other Brandeis runs, reaching on a dropped third strike in the sixth inning and scoring after a groundout and two wild pitches. In the seventh, Doyle drove in a run on a groundout. 

There were only two multiple hitters in the game, Heinemann for Brandeis and Woodburn for the Privateers. Brandeis sophomore Max Hart (Montville, Conn./Montville) tripled in the fourth inning for the game's only extra-base hit. 

Brandeis returns to action in the Russ Matt Invitational on Friday at 2:30 p.m. against St. Joseph's  Brooklyn.