CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – Junior K.J. Parent (Knoxville, Tenn.) tossed a complete-game shutout to lead MIT to a 6-0 win over Brandeis University this afternoon at Briggs Field. Parent allowed just six hits and one walk while striking out six as he recorded the first complete-game of his career. Junior Hayden Cornwell (Newport Beach, Calif.) drove in three runs to lead the offense for the Engineers.
MIT (5-3) picked up the only run it would need in the first inning. Senior Creed Mangrum (Sandy, Utah) led off with a bunt single and then moved to third on a base hit from junior Parker Tew (Chapel Hill, N.C.). Sophomore Nate Rodman (Corvallis, Ore.) then plated the first run of the contest with a sacrifice fly to center.
Sophomore Kendall Helbert (St. Louis, Mo.) scored MIT's second run in the second on an error before Cornwell delivered a two-run double in the bottom of the third that made it 4-0. Brandeis (7-9) threatened in the fourth, sandwiching a walk between singles from juniors Tom McCarthy (Yonkers, N.Y.) and Kyle Brenner (Brookfield, Mass.) to load the bases with one away. Junior Rob Trenk (West Orange, N.J.) then lofted a potential sac fly to center, but Mangrum kept the Judges off the scoreboard when his throw home nailed McCarthy for the final out of the inning.
MIT added a pair of insurance runs in the seventh on a Cornwell sac fly and an infield single by Helbert. Parent did the rest, as he set down the side in order five times on the way to his first victory of the season. The first of seven pitchers on the day for Brandeis, senior Colin Markel (Scarsdale, N.Y.) started fell to 1-1 on the season after allowing four hits and two runs, on earned, over two innings of work.
MIT will return to New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) action tomorrow when the Engineers will travel to Clark University for an 11:00 a.m. doubleheader. Brandeis will play again on Tuesday, April 1 when the Judges will visit Tufts University for a 3:00 p.m. game with the Jumbos.