Late Inning Knight Heroics Force Split

FORT MYERS Fla. (March 9, 2011) - After defeating Clark University 7-4 earlier in the afternoon, the Rangers would lose on their final at bat against Neumann College in their second contest of the day. Three days into the season the Rangers sit with an overall record of 4-2.

Game 1- Box Score
Drew starting pitcher Adriana Durso (Old Tappan, N.J./No. Valley Old Tappan) turned in another solid effort on the mound en route to her third victory of the year. The senior went all seven innings for the third consecutive day, allowing four runs and striking out a total of four Cougar hitters.

The Rangers got to work offensively right out of the gates putting up four runs in their first two times at the plate. In the first inning, freshman Lexie Forsell (West Windsor, N.J./West Windsor-Plainsboro) and Jeramie Barletta (Madison, N.J./Madison) reached base on back-to-back singles. After Clark got the second out of the inning, Jillian Lusk (Scotch Plains, N.J./Scotch Plains) singled to center field to plate Forsell and Barletta and give the Rangers a quick 2-0 lead.

After a scoreless top half of the second inning for Clark, Drew would produce an inning nearly identical to their two-run first. This time, senior Kati Eggert (Denville, N.J./Morris Knolls) would be the run producer, singling home Jackie Mannino (Little Silver, N.J./Redbank) and Brooke Gagliano (Freehold, N.J./Freehold Twp.) who both reached on singles earlier in the inning.

Clark would tighten the game in the fourth inning on a homerun by Mel Melkonian to deep center field making the score, 4-3. The Ranger offense would back its starting pitcher with three more runs over the next two innings. It was Eggert who would come up with her third RBI of the day in the bottom of the fifth to make the score 5-3 and the Rangers would score its final two runs of the day in their last turn at bat. With Nicole Spiotta (Morris Plains, N.J./Morristown) already on third, Jen Mateo (Union City, N.J./Union City) attempted to bunt for a hit and would amazingly come all the way around to score on an overthrow by the pitcher making the score 7-3.

The seven runs was more than Durso would need as she would close out the Cougars, allowing one run over the final three innings of play.

Game 2 - Box Score
In the lowest scoring affair of the young season, Neumann College was able to pull out a 3-2 win on a walk-off single in the bottom of the seventh inning to hand the Rangers their second loss of the year. After falling behind 1-0 after the first inning, the Rangers were able to capture the lead with a two-run third inning.

Gagliano, Mateo and Eggert all reached base on bunt singles to start off the third. With one out Barletta was able to bring home Gagliano on an RBI single to the right side and one batter later Brooke Nwosu (Union City, N.J./Union City) drove in Mateo to give the Ranges a 2-1 lead.

The Knights would get a run back in the fourth inning to tie the score at two when Mariah Ripken beat out a throw to first with two outs, allowing the tying run to score. Nwosu pitched 4.2 innings of solid relief after starter Alyscia Zulauf (Livingston, N.J./Livingston) left the game with an injury. In the bottom of the seventh, Ripken would strike again leading the inning off with a triple. With the infield in, leadoff hitter Lauren Strack was able to bloop the ball in front of the left fielder for the game-winner.

Drew will have another doubleheader tomorrow morning beginning at 8:30 AM against Wilmington. It will be followed by a battle with Rockford College at 1:00 PM.