Seniors Shine in Split with Scranton
 
MADISON, N.J. (April 17, 2010) – Playing their last home doubleheader of their careers, seniors Matt McGrath (Rutherford, N.J./Rutherford) and David Kaplow (Westfield, N.J./Westfield) powered the Rangers, going a combined 7-for-12 with two home runs and six RBI's on the afternoon.

Game One

Drew (7-23, 4-10 Landmark) got a tremendous effort on the mound in game one by Will Van Houten (Watertown) (Dexter, N.Y./Watertown) who pitched a complete game, six-hitter to pick up his second win of the season. Van Houten surrendered three runs and struck out a season-high ten batters in the 14-3 game one victory.

Van Houten would get a tremendous cushion as the Rangers put six runs on the scoreboard in the bottom of the second inning. The offense put together a two-out rally that was started by Kaplow who picked up his first hit of the day on a single up the middle. Three-straight singles by Michael Bodden (Toms River, N.J./Monsignor Donovan), Chris DelMaestro (Hillsborough, N.J./Hillsborough) and Tom Murray (Brick, N.J./Brick Memorial) scored five Ranger runs. McGrath then stepped in and cleared the bases with his conference-leading 14th double of the year.

McGrath and Kaplow would team up again in the Rangers' last turn at bat. McGrath stepped in with one out and hit a towering drive over the left field wall for his second long ball of the year. Three batters later, Kaplow dug in with two outs and hit a ball virtually in the same spot as McGrath to put the Rangers up 14-3. The big fly was Kaplow's first home run of his career.

Game Two

After Scranton (14-17, 7-4 Landmark) pushed across an unearned run in the top of the first, it looked like the Rangers would carry over their hot bats into the second game. Drew would get their first two batters on after Bodden and DelMaestro singled. Scranton's Rocky Sawyer then hit Tom Murray to load the bases. McGrath then chopped a ball to short and beat out the double play ball which allowed Bodden to Score. The Rangers took the lead on an errant throw on tough grounder to third base allowing DelMaestro to score and Drew to take the 2-1 lead.

Scranton would score the go-ahead run in the top of the third inning off a Chris Velazquez sacrifice fly which was all Sawyer needed. After a shaky start  he settled in and didn't allow another run in his next six innings of work. He scattered five hits more hits and struck out seven batters to earn the victory for the Royals.

DelMaestro ended the day going 5-for-6 with two runs scored and an RBI. Senior Tom Sharp (Toms River, N.J./Toms River East) followed suit with his fellow classmates by picking up two hits on the day, including two RBI's and a run scored.

The Rangers will look to capture its second Landmark Conference series of the year in the rubber match at noon tomorrow on Doc Young Field.