CLEVELAND, Ohio – Brandeis University graduate student Mason Newman (New Rochelle, N.Y./New Rochelle) tossed his second-straight complete game today, but the Judges' bats were held in check by hosts Case Western Reserve as the Spartans won a 3-0 University Athletic Association baseball contest on Nobby's Field. The loss snaps Brandeis's eight-game winning streak as they fall to 9-3 overall, 0-1 in the UAA. The Spartans improve to 11-10, 4-1 UAA.
The game was quite a pitchers' duel for the first five innings, as neither Newman or CWRU starter Reece Marley allowed a run. Brandeis had runners in three of those frames, but the Spartans got two double plays and a caught stealing to eliminate the threats. For his part, Newman was able to strand the two runners he allowed in that string, extending his scoreless-innings streak to 14.
Case Western Reserve finally broke through in the sixth. With one away, Spartan catcher Jack Anderson doubled down the left field line. He advanced to third on a balk and scored when Jay Smith's grounder to first base was booted. 3B Zach Carcini followed with a single to right, and both runners advanced on an error in the outfield. That allowed CF Nick Harms to bring in a run with another infield grounder, giving the hosts a 2-0 lead. Newman got a strikeout to avoid further damage.
Brandeis had two runners on in the seventh thanks to a pair of walks, but the Judges could not capitalize. CWRU added an insurance run in the eighth on a double by SS Jacob Lott and a single by pinch hitter Tre Armstrong. Spartan reliever Tyler Horvath did the rest, getting the last six outs, three on strikeouts.
Newman was the hard-luck loser, falling to 2-2 despite pitching his second-straight complete game. He allowed six hits and struck out six without walking a batter. He allowed three runs (two earned) and threw 68 of his 100 pitches for strikes. Marley improved to 3-2 with seven innings of two-hit ball, striking out five and walking four. Horvath picked up his fourth save of the campaign with his two perfect innings.
Offensively, Brandeis's two hits came from grad student CF Dan Frey (Ipswich, Mass./St. John's Prep) and junior LF Sam Nugent (Mansfield, Mass./Mansfield). Case Western Reserve did not have any multiple hitters, but they did have three extra-base hits in the form of doubles from Anderson, Harms and Lott.
The two teams will meet tomorrow in the middle two games of the four-game series, starting at 12 p.m.