KING'S POINT, N.Y. (March 27, 2010)- After dropping the first game to the United States Merchant Marine Academy Mariners 4-3 in nine innings, the Drew Rangers came back and picked up their first win of the 2010 season. The Mariners' Travis Christensen ripped the game winning single in the second frame of extra baseball in the first game of the double header. Senior righty Giovanni Mancini (Haskell, N.J./Lakeland Regional) struck out three batters in 2.2 innings of work in the second game good for the Rangers first Landmark Conference victory. With the split the Mariners stand at 4-8 overall, 1-4 in the Landmark, while the Rangers moved to 1-13 on the season, also 1-4 in the conference.
Game One- The Mariners took advantage of a walk and an error to strike first in the bottom of the second inning. The Rangers bounced right back in the top of the third with three straight hits capped off by an RBI-double from sophomore Kyle O'Neill (Basking Ridge, N.J./Gill St. Bernards.) Rookie Mike Bodden (Toms River, N.J./Monsignor Donovan) followed with run producing single to tie things up at 2-2.
Mariners' designated hitter Mike Bybee cracked his fourth homer of the season in the bottom of the third, good for the 3-2 lead that carried all the way into the seventh inning.
Down to their final two outs, the Rangers needed a long ball which they received from sophomore catcher Tom Murray (Brick, N.J./Brick Memorial) who put the contest into extra innings.
The Rangers held off the defeat until the bottom of the ninth when their relief pitching unraveled. Mariners senior Travis Christensen cracked the game winning pinch hit single with one out good for the walk off.
Murray finished with two hits and an RBI for the Rangers.
Game Two- The Rangers came out in the second game eager for a victory and were up by three runs by the bottom of the third inning. A strong start from lefty Evan Martens (Avon, Conn./Avon) led the way for Drew. Martens threw three innings and struck out two Mariners before giving up an 2-RBI single to senior outfielder Jared Fassnacht.
With the lead down to just one run the Rangers turned to Mancini who pitched 2.2 innings of shutout baseball that silenced the Mariners offense.
With Mancini holding things down on the hill, the Rangers' bats exploded for three runs in both the fourth and fifth innings. Freshman infielder Chris DelMeastro (Hillsborough, N.J./Hillsborough) cracked a 2-RBI base hit in the top of the third that plated Drew Obergfell (Cranfield, N.J./Roselle Catholic) and Bodden. DelMeastro would steal second and eventually be sacrificed in by senior first baseman Matt McGrath (Rutherford, N.J./Rutherford.)
In the fifth the Rangers produced again this time with a 2-RBI double from rookie third baseman Kyle O'Neill (Basking Ridge, N.J./Gill St. Bernard's.) DelMeastro caused trouble on the bases again for the Mariners scoring on defensive miscue giving the Rangers a 9-2 lead.
Mancini and senior Doug Veterano (Tabernacle, N.J./St. Joseph's Prep) dominated the final frames on the mound for the Rangers. The duo gave up just two hits in three innings of work to the Mariners sluggers. DelMeastro finished with two RBI's for Drew while O'Neill went 2-4 and knocked three runners in.
The Rangers close out the three-game set against the Mariners tomorrow at Noon.
