Northboro, Mass. (taken from a WPI press release) -- Brandeis University junior Sean O'Neill (Reading, Mass./Reading Memorial) struck out 13 WPI batters over the course of seven strong innings, but the Judges couldn't solve the Engineer pitching staff in a 4-1 loss Friday afternoon at the New England Baseball Complex.
WPI senior Nick Comei continued his outstanding week with a pair of extra-base hits for the Engineers in support of a full staff effort for his pitchers.
Comei, who is hitting .692 over the past three games, went 2-for-4 with a double and a triple to go with a pair of RBI and what proved to be the game-winning run. Defensively, he was a part of two double plays. Sophomore Steven Gallagher homered while junior Evan Lacroixtripled and sophomore Ryan Tropeano doubled and scored twice.
Tropeano reached on a leadoff miscue to start the game and scored on Comei's double to right. Comei then came home on a Howard hit down the right field line in the bottom of the first.
With two outs in the home half of the fifth, Tropeano doubled and Comei followed with a run-producing triple. Gallagher later launched an insurance home run in the eighth.
Brandeis was led by senior Jay Schaff (Cheshire, Conn./Xavier) who went 2-for-3 with a walk and freshman Victor Oppenheimer (West Hills, Cal.Chaminade) who batted 3-for-4. Senior Ryan Tettemer (Westfield, Mass./Suffield Academy) knocked in the lone run for the Judges to spoil WPI's shutout bid in the ninth inning. Rookie Dan O'Leary (Lynnfield, Mass./Lynnfield) doubled and scored to break up the shutout.
Despite shouldering the setback, O'Neill's career-high 13 batters over seven innings was the most since then-junior Kyle Brenner '15 (Brookfield, Mass./SPM/East Side) accomplished the feat in a nine-inning shutout of SUNY Maritime on February 20, 2014. Senior Liam Coughlin (Townsend, Mass./Lowell Catholic) took the ball for the eighth.
The Engineers had a fresh arm begin each inning. Sophomore Sam Bacchiocchi was credited with the win as senior CJ Doskocil, sophomore Tommy McCarthy and sophomore Adam Bettigole all faced the minimum during their shift. Freshman Dillon Bordeleau, senior Sean Fallon , Weiss, sophomore Dominic Fusco and Tagaris all faced four batters.
O'Leary began the ninth with a double and moved to third on a wild pitch. He then broke up the shutout when Tettemer singled to left. The Engineers finished the game with a 1-6-3 double play and a swinging strikeout.
WPI (10-4) opens NEWMAC play tomorrow with an 11am doubleheader versus Wheaton. Thanks to postponements tomorrow (DH at ECSU) and Sunday (at Babson), Brandeis' (1-5) next game is slated for 3pm Monday at Salem State.