Baseball Drops Pair to Brandeis

NORTHBORO, Mass. – The Wentworth Institute of technology baseball team suffered a pair of setbacks on Sunday afternoon at the New England Baseball Complex as the Leopards lost to Brandeis, 13-1, in the first game and 15-2 in the nightcap.

GAME ONE:  Brandeis 13, Wentworth 1
Brandeis scored three runs in the bottom of the first to take an early 3-0 lead. Junior Victor Oppenheimer (West Hills, Calif.) led off reaching on an error and went to second base on a wild pitch before being brought in on a two-run home run off the bat of sophomore Mike Khoury (East Bridgewater, Mass.). Back-to-back singles led to an RBI single from sophomore Luke Hall (Georgetown, Mass.) and, with one out, the Judges loaded the bases. Senior Leo Coehlo (Marlborough, Mass.) got a strikeout and a groundout to prevent any more damage.

Wentworth had a pair of runners on in the top of the second as seniors Jake Smith (Orange, Conn.) and Ross Golebiewski (Lyme, Conn.) hit back-to-back singles. However, a pair of fly ball outs and a strikeout ended the threat. The home half of the inning saw Brandeis score three runs as sophomore Isaac Fossas (Dudley, Mass.) doubled in Khoury and Oppenheimer before coming around to score on a single from Hall.

Senior Andrew Elliott (Rockland, Mass.) put the Leopards on the board when he hit his first home run of the season in the top of the third to cut the lead to 6-1, where it remained until the bottom of the fifth inning when Brandeis increased its lead to 11-1 after a five-run inning. Sophomore Nick Yanco (Rutland, Mass.) tripled in junior Dan O'Leary (Lynnfield, Mass.) who then scored on an Oppenheimer single. Khoury singled in sophomore Scott Ziegler (Avon, Conn.), Oppenheimer scored on a Fossas double, and Khoury scored on a sacrifice fly from sophomore Dan Frey (Ipswich, Mass.).

In the bottom of the sixth, Oppenheimer rounded out the scoring with a two-run home run which also plated junior Joshua Rakowsky (New Fairfield, Conn.).

Sophomore Mason Newman (New Rochelle, N.Y.) picked up the win (1-1), allowing one run on six hits and striking out five in the complete-game effort. At the plate, Oppenheimer was 4-for-5 with three RBI while Fossas (3-for-4, three RBI) and Hall (3-for-4, two RBI) each had three hits.

Coehlo took the loss (1-2), allowing six runs (five earned) on nine hits and struck out seven in four innings of work. Smith was 2-for-3 while Elliott, sophomore Aidan French (Chicago, Ill.), Golebiewski, and sophomore Kyle Litwin (Jacksonville, Fla.) also had hits.

GAME TWO:  Brandeis 15, Wentworth 2
Elliott got things started for Wentworth in the top of the first inning as he hit his second home run in as many games to make it 1-0 in favor of the Leopards. However, the lead was short-lived as Brandeis scored three times in the bottom of the inning to take a 3-1 lead. With the bases loaded, Frey hit a two-run single to score Khoury and Oppenheimer, while Fossas scored when Hall hit a sacrifice fly. An inning later, the lead swelled to 7-1 when Oppenheimer hit a two-run single and Frey hit a two-run, two-out home run.

The third inning saw the Judges score two more runs as Khoury drew a based loaded walk and Fossas scored Yanco on a sacrifice fly. A three-run home run off the bat of Yanco highlighted a four-run fourth inning as the hosts increased their lead to 13-1.

Freshman Matt Bishop (Ballston Lake, N.Y.) hit his first collegiate home run in the top of the sixth inning, giving the Black & Gold their second run of the game. In the bottom of the inning, Khoury and Rakowsky each drew a bases-loaded walk.

Freshman Cam Roberts (Leominster, Mass.) picked up the win (1-0), allowing one run on three hits and striking out five in five innings of work. At the plate, Oppenheimer and freshman Liam Kennedy (Norwell, Mass.) each had three hits with Frey driving in four runs.

Freshman Matt Perconti (Hancock, Maine) took the loss (1-2) allowing six runs (five earned). Junior Ryan Joyce (Avon, Mass.) pitched 1.2 scoreless innings in relief, striking out three of the six batters he faced. Six different players recorded hits for Wentworth.

Wentworth (3-10) is at Lasell on Thursday night.

For the latest on Wentworth Athletics, follow the Leopards via social media on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Fans can also download the Wentworth Leopards "Front Row" mobile app, powered by PrestoSports, on iTunes and the Android Market.