Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 Madison, N.J. (April 5, 2014) – The Drew University baseball team (7-10, 1-3) dropped two games in a Landmark Conference doubleheader this afternoon at Doc Young Field to the United States Merchant Marine Academy (11-6-1, 2-3). The Mariners won game one 7-3 and game two 2-1 in extra innings.

Junior Al Krause (Secaucus, N.J./Secaucus) finished the day batting .428 (3-for-7) from the dish in the loss for the Rangers. Krause also scored one run and drove in another. Classmate Steve Kowalski (Robbinsville, N.J./Robbinsville) went 2-for-6 and scored two runs on the afternoon for the Rangers in defeat.

The Ranger offense started the scoring early taking a 3-0 lead after the first inning. After a lead-off walk from Kowalski and an Anthony Feltre (South Brunswick, N.J./Metuchen) bunt, Krause stepped to the plate and delivered a single into left field that would score Kowalski. After a sacrifice bunt and back-to-back walks the Rangers loaded the bases for senior captain Matthew Kaplon (Palisades Park, N.J./Palisades Park). Kaplon connected on a ball and drove it to deep center field for a sacrifice fly that would plate Krause for the third run of the inning. The Mariners countered in the top of the fourth inning scoring six runs, including a homerun from Danny Collins. Merchant Marine added an insurance run in the top of the seventh for the 7-3 victory.

Game two saw a similar situation with the Rangers picking up the first run of the game. Kowalski reached first on a bunt up the first base line. Two batters later Kowalski scored on a throwing error by the catcher who tried to pick him off at third. The Rangers preserved a 1-0 lead all the way to the top of the seventh inning before Cameron Stadele single scored Danny Collins. The Mariners scored another run in the top of the eighth to take the 2-1 extra inning victory.

Sophomore Dylan Baxter (Holmdel, N.J./Holmdel) pitched the first game of the afternoon for the Rangers. Baxter went the complete game surrendering seven runs on six hits and striking out four batters. Sophomore Drew Blanco (Edison, N.J./John P. Stevens) started game two of the doubleheader for Drew. Blanco went 6.1 innings and allowed one run on six hits. Blanco also struck out three batters in his third appearance of the season.

The Rangers return to action tomorrow afternoon at Doc Young Field as they host USMMA in the third and final game of their Landmark Conference series. First pitch is scheduled for noon.