WALTHAM, Mass. -- Brandeis junior righty Kyle Brenner (Brookfield, Mass./St. Peter-Marian) tossed his UAA-leading sixth complete game today, going a career-long 10 innings, but suffered the loss as visiting Roger Williams rallied with two runs in the eighth inning to earn a 3-2 non-conference win on Stein Diamond today. With the loss, the Judges fall to 12-15, while the Hawks, coached by Brandeis alumnus Derek Carlson '91 improve to 20-11.
Brenner was dominant on the hill for the first seven innings. He didn't allow a hit through the first four frames, allowing just one base-runner on a hit batter in the third. The Hawks' first hit was a hard shot to first base with two away in the fifth.
The Judges' scoring all came in the second inning. Brenner led off the frame with a single to right. Junior Cameron Shaw (E. Setauket, N.Y. / Ward Melville) followed by going to left, and senior Dominic Schwartz (San Francisco, Calif./Lowell) bunted both players into scoring position. Hawk lefty sidewinder Sean Boyle (Arlington, Mass./Arlington) got the second out by way of strikeout, but sophomore CF Sam Miller (Sudbury, Mass. / Lincoln-Sudbury) placed one perfectly between the pitcher and first baseman for an RBI single. Junior SS Brian Allen (Concord, N.H./Central Catholic) laced a ball to center to give the Judges a 2-0 lead.
With Brenner cruising, RWU picked up its second hit of the game in the sixth when Caulin Rogers (Gloucester, Mass. / Gloucester) slugged a ball that reached the fence in left-center field. Brandeis senior Brian Ing (Sandwich, Mass./Sandwich) fielded the ball on one hop and gunned Rogers down at second. Carlson came out and argued briefly after the play, but was more vocal between innings, and wound up getting ejected from the contest.
A fired-up Hawk squad broke through against Brenner in the eighth. DH Shawn Cariglio (Milford, Conn. / Foran) singled through the left side to open the inning. Pinch runner Mike Barry (Medway, Mass. / Medway) was still at first two batters later, as Brenner induced a pop-up on a bunt and got a strikeout. Rogers followed with his second hit of the game, through the same hole between first and second. That brought up leadoff hitter Jamie Timothy (Cohasset, Mass. / Cohassett), who went to right again, dropping one just inside the line that enabled both runners to score, tying the game at 2-2.
The teams failed to score in the next three at-bats, with a 4-6-3 double play in the bottom of the eighth erasing Brandeis's only baserunner in regulation. In the top of the 10th, RWU scored without a ball leaving the infield. Barry led off with a well-placed bunt single. The Hawks moved him to third with a sacrifice bunt and a grounder to second. The next batter was Rogers, who worked the count to 2-0 when Brenner came too far inside, unleashing a wild pitch that allowed Barry to scamper home with the winning run.
Brandeis nearly evened it up again in the bottom of the 10th. Facing Roger Williams senior closer Tyler Pogmore (Lebanon, Conn. / Lyman Memorial), Ing singled to center with one out, and rookie catcher Connor Doyle (Avon, Conn./Avon Old Farms) bounced one through the left side. That brought up rookie 1B Greg Heineman (Wilbraham, Mass./Minnechaug Regional), who laced the ball to left field. Ing attempted to score from second on the play, but senior Mike Pascarella (Milford, Conn. / Foran) threw a strike to the plate and junior Chris Travers (East Freetown, Mass. / Apponequet) blocked the dish to apply the tag for the second out. Pogmore nailed down the win by covering on a tough-to-handle ball off the bat of Brenner.
Brenner ended up going the distance for the sixth time this season, moving him into a tie for second in NCAA Division III play this season with two other pitchers. He allowed seven hits and three earned runs. Brenner struck out 10 for his second double-digit K performance of the season. He falls to 3-4 on the mound. Brenner also went 2-5 at the plate with Brandeis's only extra-base hit, a double. Heineman, Miller and Allen also had two hits for the Judges.
Boyle got a no-decision with seven innings of eight-hit ball. He fanned six and walked one. Pogmore earned the win to improve to 3-0 this season with seven saves. Rogers was the only multiple hitter for the Hawks, going 3-4, while Timothy's two-run double was the only extra-base hit for the visitors.
Brandeis is back at home on Tuesday at 3:30 p.m. against Curry, while RWU faces St. Joseph's (Maine) on Monday.