The Judges broke open a one-run game with five runs in the third and four runs in the fourth inning to improve their record to 6-11 on the year and get their noses in front of the Gulls (5-4) in the all-time series between the schools.
First baseman Brett Holmgren (Middleboro, Mass.) and right fielder Conor Ressel (Rockport, Mass.) provided a good chunk of Endicott's offense, each going 2-for-4 with two runs batted in apiece.
The heart of the lineup for the judges, the 3-6 batters went 9-19 with five RBIs and three doubles. Catcher Chris Ferro (Walpole, Mass.) had two runs and three hits, while designated hitter Dan Gad (Mansfield, Mass.) and first baseman Kyle Brenner (Brookfield, Mass.) each were 2-for-4 with two runs and two RBIs.
Brandeis grabbed two runs in the bottom of the first on RBI singles by Gad and Brenner, but the Gulls pulled a run back in the top of the second when Tad Gold (Martha's Vineyard, Mass.) singled to center and Ressel doubled him home, his second two-bagger of the season.
The home team quickly seized control with big innings in the third and fourth. They took advantage of three errors and collected four hits in the third, with Gad helping to get the ball rolling with a double to right center and Liam O'Connor (Avon, Conn.) and Tom McCarthy (Yonkers, N.Y.) each driving in runs.
The Gulls had some thunder in the top of the fourth, loading the bases with nobody out on consecutive singles by Holmgren, Colin Sitarz (W. Hartford, Conn.) and Gold. Ressel added a run when his shot to left was caught and turned into a sacrifice fly, but Brandeis starter Mike Swerdloff (Scarsdale, N.Y.) got the next two outs to end the threat and send the game to the bottom of the fourth, where Brenner and McCarthy again drove in runs, as did Dominic Schwartz (San Francisco, Cailf.) with a sacrifice fly to left and Brian Allen (Salem, N.H.) with a single to left.
Holmgren picked up his two RBIs with a sacrifice fly in the fifth and a single to left center in the seventh. Both times scored shortstop Cody Hall (Rutland, Mass.), who was 2-for-4 on the day.
Swerdloff improved to 2-2 on the year with a 7.1 inning performance, allowing four runs on nine hits and collecting four strikeouts without issuing a walk.
Endicott starter Michael Griffin (Arlington, Mass.) fell to 0-1 on the year, as he was charged with four runs on six hits over two and a third innings. Griffin struck out two batters without a walk, and the Endicott staff fanned six batters and issued only one base on balls.
The Gulls will continue their busy week on Thursday afternoon when they travel to Bates for a 3:30 pm game.
Brandeis remains at home for another 3:00 pm game on Thursday, welcoming in Rhode Island College.
