MADISON, N.J. (March 23, 2017) – The Drew University baseball team returned from an 11-day layoff with a 10-6 loss to New Jersey City University on a frigid Thursday afternoon at Doc Young Field.
 
By the Numbers: The Gothic Knights, who haven't played since March 9, improve to 2-5 overall in their first game of the season outside of Florida. The Rangers fall to 8-3 overall and 1-2 at Doc Young Field with the setback.
 
Top Performers
• Freshman designated hitter Anthony Tagliaferro smacked his first career home run, a sky-high solo job over the left-center field hedges in the second inning. He added an RBI single in the seventh and finished 3-for-5 on the day against NJCU pitching.
• Sophomore left fielder Jayson Mitch was 2-for-4 with a walk, two runs scored and two RBIs. His two-run double in the bottom of the seventh made it 8-4 in favor of the Gothic Knights and scored later in the inning to bring the Rangers within three runs, 8-5.
• Sophomore Joshua Williams pitched 3.1 innings in relief with one hit and three walks allowed to go with six strikeouts. Williams allowed three runs, but only one was earned.
 
The Difference: NJCU took a 5-0 lead on a three-run home run in the top of the second inning. The Rangers chipped away on two separate occasions to cut the deficit to three runs, but the early hole was too much to overcome.
 
Highlights
• The Gothic Knights scored a run in each the fourth, fifth and sixth innings. Only one of the runs, however, were earned as two Drew defensive miscues contributed to the NJCU scoring and an 8-2 lead at the end of six innings.
• Senior catcher Dan Pfefferkorn led off the fifth inning with a double to the right-center field gap, but was stranded following three consecutive outs.
• Down 10-5, the Rangers got a run back in the bottom of the ninth on what should have been an RBI groundout by sophomore shortstop Zach Lipshitz, who reached on an error.
 
Up Next: The Rangers host No. 24 Ramapo College on Friday, March 24 at 4:00 p.m. at Doc Young Field.