WALTHAM, Mass. – In the first-ever meeting between the two teams that call Stein Diamond home, the Brandeis University baseball team prevailed over Lasell University in a doubleheader, 7-2 in the opener and 2-0 in the nightcap. The Judges improve to 4-1 on the season, the Lasers fall to 4-10.
In game one, both teams had eight hits, but the Judges were able to capitalize on three Lasell errors, while the Lasers were unable to take advantage of Brandeis miscues. After the visitors got on the board in the top of the first on a Charlie Danaher single, Brandeis scored seven unanswered runs.
In the second, the Judges loaded the bases on an error, a single by senior 1B Isaac Fossas (Dudley, Mass./Milton Academy) and a hit batter. They tied the game on a wild pitch and went ahead on an RBI single by sophomore 3B Brian King (Palos Verde, Calif. / Palos Verde). Lasell's Tyler Perkins minimized the damage with a run-producing double-play ball.
Brandeis senior DH Mike Khoury (E. Bridgewater, Mass./E. Bridgewater) doubled to lead off the third, moving to third on a fly out by classmate Luke Hall (Georgetown, Mass./Georgetown) and scoring on Dan Frey's (Ipswich, Mass./St. John's Prep) grounder. The Judges broke things open with three more in the fourth, as grad student 2B Victor Oppenheimer (West Hills, Calif./Chaminade) singled up the middle and scored all the way from first when King's fly ball to right was dropped. Sophomore Steven Simon (Hanover, Mass./Hanover) doubled home King and Simon scored three batters later on another Lasell miscue. The Lasers scored their final run in the seventh inning when a return throw to the pitcher went awry.
Offensively, seven different Judges had hits, with only Oppenheimer picking up multiples. He went 2-2 with a double and two runs scored. Khoury and Simon's doubles were the only other extra-base hits for the Judges. Lasell's Joe Sullivan and Ross Audet each had two hits as well, while Sean Doris added a double.
On the hill, Brandeis senior Greg Tobin (Medway, Mass./Catholic Memorial) earned his first win of the season and the 10th of his career with six innings of six-hit ball. He struck out nine, tied for the third-highest total of his career, without walking a batter. Tobin allowed one earned run and three 68 of his 98 pitches for strikes. Junior Gavin Dauer (Winchester, Mass. / St. John's Prep) gave up one unearned run on two hits in the seventh. Lasell's Tyler Perkins took the loss, giving up three hits and three runs (one earned) in two innings of work
The nightcap features a pitcher's duel, won by Brandeis sophomore Asher Kaplan (Jamaica Plain, Mass./Boston Latin) over a trio of Lasell hurlers. Kaplan earned his first collegiate win by tossing a complete-game three-hitter. Kaplan struck out five and walked just one, retiring the last 10 Lasers he faced. Only two visiting runners made it past first base. The terrific performance overshadowed a combined five-hitter from the three Lasell pitchers, who struck out six and walked just one.
The Judges got all the scoring they would need in the third inning. Simon led off by reaching on an error. He moved to third on a single to right by sophomore Drew Michaud (Madison, Conn./Xavier) and scored on a balk by Laser starter CJ Mills, who fanned four and allowed just two hits. Brandeis added an insurance run in the fourth, as Frey singled to start the inning, stole second and moved to third when the throw down sailed into the outfield. One batter later, King bounced a ball through the left side that allowed Frey to score. That was all Kaplan would need, as he retired the side in order in the last three innings.
Brandeis is back in action on Saturday at 11 a.m. with a doubleheader against Johnson and Wales. Lasell hosts St. Joseph's (Maine) in a DH at Fraser Field in Lynn, Mass., Saturday at 10 a.m. The Judges and Lasers will meet again next Wednesday at 3:00 p.m. for another twinbill.