Walk-Off Homer Sweeps Rangers
SELINSGROVE, Pa. (April 10, 2011) – A home run in the bottom of the seventh inning by Ken Kayama gave Susquehanna (10-15, 5-4 Landmark) a three-game sweep of the Rangers this afternoon. The Crusaders took both games of the doubleheader, 7-1 and 4-3, winning their fourth-straight series over Drew (7-17-1, 1-10-1 Landmark).
Game 1 – Box Score
Runs in their first four trips to the plate powered the Crusaders to a 7-1 victory in game one of this afternoon's doubleheader. Susquehanna starting pitcher, Matt Boyd, pitched seven innings, scattering five hits and allowing only one Ranger run.
The Rangers lone run came in their first turn at bat when
Michael Bodden (Toms River, N.J./Monsignor Donovan) worked a lead-off walk. The sophomore advanced to second on wild pitch and stole third before the Crusader defense recorded an out. He would score on a an RBI ground out by
Kyle O'Neill (Basking Ridge, N.J./Gill St. Bernard's).
The Susquehanna one-through-four batters combined for eight of the 12 hits on the game for the Crusaders. The designated hitter, Nick Ferlise, led the Crusaders with a pair of RBI singles and a run scored.
Ranger starting pitcher
Tom Koontz (Allentown, N.J./Allentown) went six innings and was the victim of four Ranger defensive errors. Koontz was charged with three of the seven runs and had eight strikeouts in the loss.
Game 2 – Box Score
For the third-straight game the Rangers opened up with a lead. In the top of the first inning,
Benny Lyman (Flemington, N.J./Hunterdon Central) delivered a two-out double that scored Bodden and
Steve DeBonis (Hamilton, N.J./Nottingham) who reached on singles earlier in the frame.
The Crusaders got within a run in the bottom of the third on a sacrifice fly from Kayama. Drew regained a two run advantage in the top of the sixth after loading the bases.
Drew Obergfell (Cranford, N.J./Roselle Catholic) bunted for hit scoring the innings only run. The Rangers stranded three runners after the RBI bunt with three-straight ground outs.
The Crusaders responded in the bottom of the second half with an RBI single by Ferlise to make the score 3-2. After a scoreless top half of the seventh, the Crusaders went to their final at bat trailing by a run. They wasted no time as lead-off man Geoff Hunter singled up the middle to bring the winning run to the plate. Kayama stepped in with one out and cracked his first homer of the spring over the right field wall for a 4-3 victory.
The Rangers will look to bounce back on Tuesday when they play William Paterson at Doc Young Field at 3:30. The game is a make-up that was originally scheduled for April 5th.
