SPRINGFIELD – Brandeis University senior Ryan Tettemer (Westfield, Mass./Suffield Acad.) drilled a two-run triple with two outs in the top of the ninth and came home on an error on the play to give the Judges 4-1 victory over the host Western New England University Golden Bears in non-conference action on Thursday afternoon. The Judges move to 5-18 on the season, while WNEU, who was receiving votes in the latest NEIBA Division III poll, falls to 19-13.
Tettemer’s big hit was the second time this season he circled the bases on one play, having hit an inside-the-park home run against NYU two weeks ago. The three-bagger was his second of the season and the fourth of his career. It capped a 3-5 day with two RBI and a run scored. Rookie Tim Lopez (Brooklyn, N.Y./East Side Community) and sophomore Kyle Lussier (Hingham, Mass./Hingham) each had two hits for the Judges, who outhit the Golden Bears, 9-4.
RYAN TETTEMER
The Brandeis offense supported a terrific pitching performance from two rookies. Albert Gutierrez (Miami, Fla./Belen Jesuit Prep) got the start and allowed three hits and one earned run. He struck out one and did not walk a batter, throwing 43 of his 64 pitches for a strike. Classmate Greg Tobin (Medway, Mass./Catholic Memorial) was even more effective after coming on in the bottom of the sixth, allowing just one hit with three Ks and no walks in four innings. Tobin three 35 strikes in 50 pitches and faced the minimum 12 batters, thanks to a double play in the seventh and a runner caught stealing after a hit batter in the eighth. Tobin earned his first collegiate win in the process.
Western New England took the lead on Gutierrez in the fourth on a two-out double by Daniel Morin that plated Kevin Johnson. Brandeis knotted it in the eighth with one away when Lopez bounced a single up the middle. Rookie Dan O’Leary (Lynnfield, Mass./Lynnfield) was hit by a pitch to put two on. The duo then attempted a double-steal. When the throw to third to try to catch Lopez skipped into leftfield, Lopez scampered home with the tying run and setting up Tettemer’s heroics.
The Judges’ winning rally in the ninth came after WNEU reliever Liam Davey retired the first two hitters on two pitches and got the first two strikes on rookie Joshua Rakowsky (New Fairfield, Conn./New Fairfield). Rakowsky battled back to draw a walk, as did senior Jay Schaff (Cheshire, Conn./Xavier). Tettemer followed with his big hit, and Tobin shut the door in the ninth.
Brandeis returns to action tomorrow when they travel to Hartford, Conn., to meet Trinity College in a game originally scheduled for Stein Diamond. – Courtesy of Brandeis Sports
