By DEVIN BATES
Sports Intern WSU ‘18
The Whip City has long proven to be a hotbed for baseball talent, providing colleges in the area with skilled players for years. It does not come as much of a surprise to see Westfield occasionally listed as the hometown for a player on a college baseball roster, but when a college nine miles west of Boston has two Westfield players on their roster, it may cause you to do a double-take.
That, however, is just the case at Brandeis University, where Westfield natives Ryan Tettemer and Anthony Nomakeo have been swinging the bat for the Brandeis Judges baseball team since their freshman year back in 2014.
“It’s been pretty sweet.” Tettemer said. “Growing up, we were always opponents playing for different teams, but it’s been fun working with him and we’ve really bonded.”
Tettemer, a Suffield Academy graduate, has been rooming with Nomakeo, who attended Northfield Mount Hermon, since the two were freshmen.
“It’s really great having someone like Ryan to bounce ideas off of,” Nomakeo said. “Throughout college that relationship has been very helpful.”
Tettemer, an outfielder, is no stranger to a good day at the plate in his time with Brandeis. Back in 2015, the Westfield native had an exceptional game against Roger Williams University, going 4-for-5 with a late-inning home run and three RBIs, all while battling a sprained left ankle.
Ryan Tettemer warms up for Brandeis. (Photo by Robert Shaw)
Since then, Tettemer’s role has expanded with the team.
Last season, Tettemer racked up 20 hits and three home runs while batting .230. This year, he’s a bright spot in the Judges’ line-up, leading the team in RBIs while maintaining a .257 batting average. Despite his production, however, Tettemer and the Judges have not had much luck scoring runs. They have been shut out seven times this season, and they’re averaging just 2.45 runs per game.
Last Sunday, however, the bats awoke from a slumber. The Judges were down at MCU Park in Coney Island playing a four-game series against New York University, and heading into the final game, they needed a win to secure a series split.
Tettemer had what will likely go down as one of his most memorable baseball games: 2-for-5, three runs, three RBIs and a home run. What’s even more, impressive, however, is the way in which he scored the homer.
ANTHONY NOMAKEO
After Brandeis began to build a solid lead in the seventh inning, NYU was forced to put in relief pitcher Matthew Millus. As Tettemer stepped up to the plate, the NYU outfielders played very shallow, leaving a sizeable gap in the outfield. Tettemer was able to make solid contact on the pitch from Millus, driving the ball deep into the gap in right field. As NYU outfielders scrambled to the ball, Tettemer was running full-steam-ahead around the bases. By the time he rounded third, NYU had finally tracked down the baseball, but it was too late. As NYU catcher Scott Hilbrandt caught the throw from right field, Tettemer slid by, completing the rare inside-the-park home run.
“I didn’t realize there was a chance for an inside-the-park home run until the very end.” Tettemer said. “As I rounded third I was dead tired and I saw coach waving me in and I’m thinking ‘man, I’m really doing this.’ It was definitely a crazy moment.”
It was also a solid day for Nomakeo, who went 2-for-6 with a double and 2 RBIs. So far this season, Nomakeo has nine hits and three runs with four RBIs. Overall, Nomakeo has been steadily improving, and this has been his best year with Brandeis by far. As his career wraps up, Nomakeo will look to build on his recent play, which also includes a one run, one RBI performance against Bridgewater State April 19 to help give Brandeis their first back-to-back wins this season.
While the two may be nearing the end of their college careers, there is still a little more fun to be had.
“I want to go out with a bang,” Nomakeo said. “I remember playing in my last football game in high school and the same feeling is coming back for me now. I just want to take it all in.”
For Tettemer, the inside-the-park home run was the icing on the cake in his college career.
“That’s definitely what I’ll remember the most,” Tettemer said. “It was just such a crazy moment and I’ll never forget that.”
The two Westfield ball players were expected back in action Wednesday against Wentworth. Brandeis’ last game of the season, also the last game of Tettemer and Nomakeo’s careers, is slated for Wednesday, May 3 at UMass-Dartmouth.
Brandeis University’s Ryan Tettemer, of Westfield swings the bat. (Photo by Sportspix.com)
