Eagles Take Series in Extras

Box Score
MADISON, N.J. (April 3, 2011) – For the second-straight game it would take extra frames to decide a winner, but this time the visiting Juniata Eagles (10-12, 3-6 Landmark) emerged victorious, 8-7 in 11 innings at Doc Young Field. With the win, the Eagles win their first conference series of the spring dropping Drew to 6-14-1 and 1-7-1 Landmark.

The Rangers controlled the first three innings of the ball game scoring a run in each of their first three turns at the plate. In the bottom of the first Steve DeBonis (Hamilton, N.J./Nottingham) was hit by a pitch and advanced to second on a Michael Bodden (Toms River, N.J./Monsignor Donovan) walk. Tom Murray (Brick, N.J./Brick Memorial) stepped in and delivered the first of his three RBI on the day to give the Rangers an early 1-0 lead.

After taking advantage of a Juniata overthrow in the second inning for run number two, Murray was back in the box again with runners in scoring position in the bottom of the third. The designated hitter ripped a ball between the first and second baseman to give the Rangers a 3-0 lead at the end of the third inning.

Drew starting pitcher, Pat Rock (Cranston, R.I./Providence Country Day), cruised through the first four innings on the mound but ran into trouble in the top of the fifth. The Eagle offense exploded for five runs on four hits jumping out to a 5-3 lead. Juniata sent all nine batters to the plate with Andrew Hirsch capping off the rally with a one out, two-RBI single to give the Eagles the lead.

Not to be outdone, the Rangers responded in the bottom half of the inning with four runs over their own retaking the lead 7-5. Drew got an RBI single from Drew Obergfell (Cranford, N.J./Roselle Catholic) and Pat Lydon (Cumberland, R.I./Mount Saint Charles Academy) worked a bases loaded walk to tie the game at five. DeBonis then came up with the bases loaded and two outs and punched a single to center field that put the Rangers up two runs at the end of five innings.

With both starting pitchers out of the game, the Eagles finally got to reliever Dan Blum (Cambridge, Mass./Prospect Hill Academy) in the top of the seventh to tie the game at seven. Prior to the game Blum hadn't allowed an earned run in his last six appearances.

Both teams went down quietly in the eighth and ninth but it was the Juniata who sparked a two-out rally in the top of the 10th to manufacture the game-winning run. Benjamin Mersky singled with two outs and advanced to second on a Ranger error. Alert base running by the sophomore enabled him to advance all the way home on two wild pitches for the eventual game winner.

The Rangers threatened in their final turn at the plate getting the first two runners aboard but were unable to successfully sacrifice them over. Two-straight fielders choices and strikeout by relief pitcher Ben Sealy retired the Rangers, leaving the tying run 90 feet away.

The Rangers have a full slate of games this upcoming week with the first coming on Tuesday when they host William Paterson at Doc Young field. The non-conference tilt is set to begin at 3:30.