WORCESTER, Mass. -- Brandeis University baseball rookie 2B Benjamin Bavly (Newton, Mass./Newton South) had four hits including his first collegiate home run today, but the Judges dropped a doubleheader at Clark University in their first action in New England. The Cougars won a pitcher's duel in the opener, 2-1, and took the second game, 6-2. Brandeis falls to 5-8 overall, while Clark improves to 9-8.
Bavly went 4-6 and accounted for nearly half of the Judges' 10 hits on the day. He also scored all three of the team's runs.
In the opener, Brandeis senior Sam Miller (Sudbury, Mass./Lincoln-Sudbury) allowed just five hits and two runs - only one earned - but he was outdueled by Clark's Patrick Robinson, who gave up just four hits and one earned run. Miller struck out three and walked two in falling to 1-3 on the season. It was his first complete game of the season and sixth of his career.
Bavly accounted for three of the Judges' four hits, doubling twice and hitting his first round-tripper of the season in the sixth inning. The only other hit for the Judges was another double by senior Max Hart (Montville, Conn./Montville).
Clark scored single runs in the fourth and fifth innings. The Cougars got a leadoff double by LF Jeff Conway in the fourth and converted it into a run three batters later when Zach Richall beat out a double-play ball. With two out in the fifth, SS Kyle Bonicki led off with a single up the middle, stole second and scored what proved to be the winning run on a Brandeis throwing error.
In game two, Clark used a four-run third inning to break a 1-1 tie and take home the 6-2 win. Bavly opened the scoring in the top of the first, walking, moving to second on a passed ball and third on a sac bunt. He scored on a single by senior Greg Heineman (Wilbraham, Mass./Minnechaug Regional), who recorded his team-leading 12th RBI of the season. The Cougars answered with Conway's second RBI of the day in the bottom of the frame.
In the top of the third, Bavly led off by legging out an infield single. He moved to third on senior Liam O'Connor's (Avon, Conn./Avon) hit to left field, but O'Connor was thrown out trying to stretch it into a double. Heineman followed with a single to center, putting the Judges ahead, 2-1.
Clark responded with the big inning of the day, scoring four times against Judge sophomore Ryan Pocock (Westford, Mass. / Westford) on just three hits. The big blows were a bases-loaded single by catcher Mike Eglow that plated two and a two-run triple by 2B Adam Chochrek. The Cougars added an insurance run in the fourth on a Bonicki groundout, and they escaped a bases-loaded two-out situation in the fifth to preserve the lead.
Eight of the nine Clark starters had hits in the second game, with only CF Tyler Hutchison getting two hits. The Cougars were able to take advantage of the three walks issued by Pocock, however, scoring two of them. Brandeis got five of its six hits from the top three batters in the lineup, Bavly, O'Connor and Heineman. Pocock suffered the loss, giving up eight hits and six runs in four innings of work. He is now 0-1 this season. Clark's Taylor Serrano gave up six hits and two runs (one earned) in five innings to improve to 1-2.
Brandeis returns to action as part of a six-game road trip when they head to Western New England University on Tuesday at 3:30 p.m. and will be back in Worcester on Wednesday at WPI at 3:30.