Waltham, MA --- Brandeis junior Greg Heineman (Wilbraham, MA) and senior Kyle Brenner (Brookfield, MA/St. Peter-Marian) both tallied three hits apiece as junior Sam Miller (Sudbury, MA) went the distance to help pace the Judges to a 7-2 triumph over Worcester State this afternoon in non-conference baseball action at the Stein Diamond.
With the victory, the Judges move to 8-14 overall while the Lancers slip to 10-10 in the setback.
In a rain-soaked affair that lasted a little over two hours, Brandeis head coach Pete Varney picked up his 700th triumph. Varney is among the top 15 coaches in active victories and he was 29th on the all-time wins list entering the 2015 campaign.
The Blue and Gold took over the early 2-0 margin in the top of the first when sophomore Adam Barry (Auburn, MA/Holy Name) plated classmate Jake Ryan (Whitinsville, MA). Barry then came around to score on a ball that got by the second baseman and went into right field.
Brandeis responded in the bottom of the fifth, by doubling up the Lancers 4-2.
Taking advantage of a misplayed bunt and a fielding error by the shortstop, Brenner, sophomore Ryan Tettemer (Chelmsford, MA) and junior Ryan Healy (Carlsbad, CA) all logged run producing base-knocks. Junior Liam O'Connor (Avon, CT) also touched home plate on a wild pitch.
The Judges broke the game open in the bottom of the seventh, putting it effectively out of reach, crossing the plate three more times. Heineman started the rally by driving in the first run before freshman Ryan Pocock (Westford, MA) hammered a two-run pinch hit double into the left field gap.
Miller (4-2) permitted two runs (one earned) on three hits while he struck out six and walked three on 111 pitches (73 strikes) in the victory. After giving up a pair of scores in the top of the first, he shut down a hot line-up that had been batting .325 in its last five games by effectively setting down 22 of his last 25 batters.
Sophomore Tyler Barrie (Oxford, MA) was suffered the loss in his fourth start of the campaign. Barrie (1-2) went 6 2/3 innings permitting seven runs (three earned) to go with 10 hits, five strikeouts and two walks.
Senior David Ruggiero (Peabody, MA) kept his hitting streak alive at 19 consecutive contests with a single to centerfield in the top of the sixth.
Worcester State takes on Fisher tomorrow in a 3:30 contest at the Lyons Diamond. The Judges continue their season with a road trip to Springfield, taking on Western New England at 3:30 on Thursday.
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