MADISON, N.J. (April 11, 2015) – The Drew University baseball team placed itself in the thick of the Landmark Conference playoff race with a doubleheader sweep (10-7, 6-5) of The Catholic University of America on Saturday afternoon at Doc Young Field.
 
Closer Matthew Hunter celebrated Senior Day by recording saves in both Ranger victories to improve to 7-7 in the Landmark and move just one game behind both Moravian and Susquehanna for third and fourth place. Sophomore right fielder Mike DiDonato was white hot in Game 1, going 4-for-4 with five RBIs.
 
Game 2 was highlighted by a sixth inning come-from-behind rally, which ended in heroic hits by senior designated hitter Robert Auletti and sophomore left fielder Marc Cohen. Down 5-2 in the sixth, the Rangers strung together four hits and two walks to plate four and take a late lead that Hunter would not relinquish. Auletti and Cohen both delivered clutch two-run hits; Auletti's a single down the right field line and Cohen's a double blasted over the head of the Catholic center fielder.
 
The Rangers were game to erase deficits on Saturday long. Catholic took a 3-0 in the top of the second inning in the first game of the twin bill. DiDonato's perfect game at the plate began in the bottom half of that frame as the sophomore drilled an RBI double to the left center field gap to plate Cohen and cut the Catholic lead to 3-1.
 
After the Cardinals (15-8-1, 7-7) went ahead 4-1 in the top of the third, the Rangers loaded the bases in the home half of the inning. The bases were loaded for the right man as DiDonato ensued to send everyone home with his second double of the game and tie the score at 4-4. DiDonato came home to score the go ahead run in the same inning on an RBI single by senior shortstop Steve Kowalski.
 
Meanwhile on the mound, freshman Joe Dahut came on in relief and gave up three runs, but pitched effectively enough to hold the lead behind continued Drew offense. Dahut earned the win on the mound thanks to the Rangers' two-out rally for five runs in the fourth, aided by three bases loaded walks and a run scored on an error. DiDonato picked up the only RBI on a base hit that inning, his third base knock of the contest.
 
Hunter came on with one out in the top of the seventh with two runners on and Catholic trailing 10-6. He only ended up facing one batter as a sacrifice fly out scored a run to make it 10-7, but the runner on first got caught too far off the bag and was doubled up to end the game.
 
Drew was again forced to play catch-up in Game 2 as the Cardinals jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the second inning. The quick response came from Auletti in the bottom of the second on an RBI single to cut the lead in half. Catholic methodically build a 4-1 lead with some long and small ball, with a solo homer in the third and a sacrifice squeeze in the fourth.
 
The Rangers threatened by loading the bases with no outs in the fourth, but only managed one run when Kowalski grounded into a double play and Auletti scampered home.
 
Catholic tacked a run on in the sixth, setting up Auletti and Cohen's heroics in the bottom of the sixth. Hunter slammed the door with a 1-2-3 seventh inning on three groundouts for his fourth save of the season.
 
Sophomore starting pitcher Tommy Broyles picked up the win thanks to the offensive comeback after hurling six innings and allowing five runs (four earned) on 12 hits, zero walks and four strikeouts.
 
The Rangers conclude the three-game series against Catholic on Sunday with the nine-inning game scheduled for 12:00 p.m. at Doc Young Field.