GARY -- Like just about everyone else in Northwest Indiana, Lowell pitcher Derek Brandenburg was totally caught by surprise by the sudden change of weather Saturday evening.

By the time Brandenburg arrived at U.S. Steel Yard for his outing with Hobart, it was a baseball-like 80 degrees. By the time the senior finished off his 6-1 complete game performance victory over the Brickies, the tempurature dropped a good 50 degrees.

Which means the Bricks and Mother Nature had something in common: neither effected Brandenburg's solid outing.

"When we practiced this morning it was 80 degrees but we had to cut it short because it started raining," Brandenburg said. 'I had to borrow a buddie's long armed top because it was freezing."

Neither rain nor cold would stop the Brickie right hander from his appointed rounds on the mound with Brandenburg pitching a five hitter while carrying a shutout into the final inning before an RBI single by Tim Staffeld ended the finally put Hobart on the board.

A second inning sac fly by designated hitter Matt Hilbrich gave the Red Devils a lead they would never relinquish, thanks to a couple of throwing errors by Hobart (5-7) that plated across two more runs afterwards.

"That's been hurting us all season long," Staffield said. "We're work on it, we'll get it done. This was a pretty tough loss because this is a conference game and Hobart is a rival."

Brandenburg would strike out four while walking three in picking up the win while also helping himself with a couple of hits. Josh Manis also had two hits for Lowell(3-8).

"This was a real important win because they (Hobart) are a real tough team," Brandeburg said. "We've been struggling offensively recently so it was really good that we came out and hit the way we did. "

Nick Taddei had two hits for the Brickies.