Pioneers Come Back in Game Two, Sweep Rangers

WAYNE, N.J. (March 30, 2011) - After shutting out the Rangers, 3-0 in game one, William Paterson completed the sweep with a come-from-behind victory in the bottom of the seventh inning of game two. The Pioneers scored two runs in their final turn at bat for a 7-6 win.

Game 1- Box Score

William Paterson (9-3) did all their damage offensively in its final three turns at bat. In the bottom of the fourth they pushed two runs across against Drew starting pitcher Adriana Durso (Old Tappan, N.J./No. Valley Old Tappan), capitalizing on a Rangers throwing error and getting an RBI single by Nicole Jimmerson.

The Pioneers had four hits over the next two innings helping them plate two more runs. Drew (7-10) racked up 10 hits on the afternoon, with five of them coming in its final two appearances at the plate. In the top of the seventh, the Rangers got the first two runners aboard thanks to back-to-back singles by Nicole Spiotta (Morris Plains, N.J./Morristown) and Durso. After a bunt single by Jen Mateo (Union City, N.J./Union City), the Rangers brought the tying run to the plate but the Pioneer defense made the play of the game rescuing them from the jam. Brooke Gagliano (Freehold Twp., N.J./Freehold Twp.) hit a comebacker to the pitcher that was turned into a 1-2-3 double play to end the contest.

Mateo and freshman Brooke Nwosu (Freehold Twp.,/Freehold Twp.) collected three hits each in the losing effort. Nwosu currently lead the Rangers with 20 hits on the season.

Game 2- Box Score

In the nightcap, the Rangers built themselves two leads on three-run innings in the second and the fourth. In a game that saw a total of 13 runs on 25 hits, Drew got the scoring going in the top of the second. Gagliano would begin a career-game with a three-run home run to left that scored Spiotta and Durso.

The Pioneers bounced back in the bottom half of the inning scoring two runs on three hits off the starting pitcher, Nwosu. William Paterson then tied the game in their next at bat thanks to the first of four Heather Mendez hits. The senior came around on a Katelyn Miele single to notch the game at three.

Gagliano helped the Rangers regain the lead in the top of the fourth with both her fourth and fifth RBI of the day on a double to left. Jeramie Barletta (Madison, N.J./Madison) then stepped in with two outs and drove in Gagliano to give the Rangers a three-run advantage.

As they did in the second inning, the Pioneers put two more runs on the board in the bottom of the inning, cutting the Rangers to one. Both offenses were held scoreless until the Pioneers final at bat of the day in the bottom of the seventh. Mendez led the frame off with a double to right center field. She was then substituted for a pinch runner that quickly came across the plate to tie the game on an RBI double by freshman Jessica Warner.

The Pioneers' third-straight hit, this time by Danielle Capozzi, put runners on first and second. The Rangers then caught the lead runner, Warner at third on a fielder's choice recording the inning's first out. The next batter reached on the Rangers' lone error of the game allowing Capozzi to score from second to win the game.

The Rangers will host their second conference doubleheader on Saturday when they welcome Juniata to Madison for a 1:00 tilt.