BRISTOL, R.I. – Brandeis University ended the Roger Williams University Baseball team's winning streak at nine games with an 11-6 win Thursday afternoon in non-conference action.
The win improves the Judges to 20-13 overall, marking their first 20-win season since the 2006 season, while the Hawks fall to 19-16.
Brandeis' offense came out firing in the opening of the game, tallying six runs on seven hits in the first two innings. Eric Rosenberg (Oakland, N.J.) began things with a two-run single in the first, later followed by an RBI double by Kenny Destremps (Mashpee, Mass.).
In the second inning, Pat Nicholson (East Walpole, Mass.) doubled to right, bringing in Dom Schwartz (San Francisco, Calif.) and Brian Ing (Sandwich, Mass.). A sacrifice fly later in the inning by Rosenberg put the Judges on top 6-0.
The Hawks would put their first run of the game on the board in the bottom of the fourth. John Oppenhimer (Westport, Conn.) led off the inning with a single to center and would eventually come around to score on an RBI single by Chris Ford (Plainville, Mass.).
Brandeis added another run in the fifth inning, with Ing scoring on an RBI single by Tony Deshler (Pepperell, Mass.). The Judges would go on to plate four runner in the top of the seventh to take a commanding 11-1 lead.
The Hawk offense began to come alive in the top of the eighth, with Trevor Manzi (Beverly, Mass.) and Oppenhimer leading off the inning with singles, followed by Manzi scoring on an RBI double by Zach Porter (Middleboro, Mass.). Jon Palmer (Old Saybrook, Conn.), Trevor Larson (Northbridge, Mass.), and Mike Thomas (Plainville, Conn.) would add RBIs later in the inning to make it 11-5 in favor of Brandeis.
Roger Williams attempted a final rally in the bottom of the ninth, with Porter managing a two-out RBI single to score Manzi again, but a force-out at second two batters later would end the game in favor of Brandeis.
Mike Swerdloff (Scarsdale, N.Y.) earned the win for Brandeis, pitching seven innings and allowing a run on five hits and three walks with a pair of strikeouts. Deshler finished the game 4-for-5 with three runs scored and two RBI. Destremps was 3-for-4 with a run and RBI, while Nicholson and Rosenberg had three RBI each.
Chris Fumasoli (Rye, N.Y.) took the loss for the Hawks, giving up six runs in 1.1 innings of work. Porter finished 3-for-4 with two RBI and a run. Manzi and Oppenhimer each had two hits and two RBI for RWU.
Roger Williams steps back into TCCC play tomorrow with a noon doubleheader against Colby-Sawyer College, while Brandeis travels to Suffolk University on Tuesday.
