MADISON, N.J. (April 18, 2017) – The Drew University baseball team and College of Staten Island teamed up against breast cancer on Tuesday evening, when the Dolphins edged the Rangers, 3-2, in the 14^th annual Grace Hillery Breast Cancer Awareness Game.
 
For the Cause: Head Coach Brian Hirschberg presented a $500 check raised by members of the Drew baseball program in support of the event, which has featured a game between Drew and Staten Island for seven straight years. The Rangers also wore pink caps and brand new personalized pink jerseys in support of a cause that has raised over $75,000 for breast cancer research over 14 years. The new jerseys were a gift donated by Jason and Rachel Pastoriza, and Ryan and Kristin Mason.
 
Originating in 2004, the special evening serves to honor the memory of Grace Hillery, mother to former CSI student-athlete and baseball star Anthony Hillery, who passed away from the disease prior to the 2004 baseball season.
 
In addition, a Drew fan won the evening's 50/50 raffle and donated $300 of the winnings back to the cause.
 
By the Numbers: The Dolphins defeated Drew on Breast Cancer Awareness Night for the fourth consecutive year, and improve to 17-7-1 on the year. The Rangers, meanwhile, drop to 16-11 overall and 5-2 in away games.
 
Top Performers
• Sophomore shortstop Zach Lipshitz was 2-for-4 and tied the game at 2-2 in the seventh with a two-out RBI single.
• Senior catcher Dan Pfefferkorn and senior third baseman Jonathan Rodrigues each finished 2-for-4 with a run scored against Dolphin pitching.
• Freshman starting pitcher Jeff Serin was the hard-luck loser on Tuesday, going the distance and allowing seven hits and four walks for three runs (two earned) with seven strikeouts. CSI didn't score off the rookie until the fifth inning.
 
The Difference: A leadoff walk for Staten Island in the eighth set the stage for the go-ahead run. A simple groundout advanced the runner to second, and a seeing-eye single through the right side plated the run to give Staten Island the 3-2 advantage.
 
Highlights
• The Dolphins had runners on second and third with one out before Serin got the final two outs via strikeout.
• The Rangers didn't score against Dolphins starter Ryan Kennedy until the seventh, when Pfefferkorn's two-out double scored Rodrigues from first base, with help from a CSI error in the outfield.
• During Drew's last licks in the ninth, Pfefferkorn got an infield single and senior center fielder Marc Cohen knocked a base hit through the left side all with two outs, but the final comeback attempt would be snuffed out as Staten Island closer Jason Failla came on for the one-out save.
 
Up Next: The Rangers take the short trip to Dodge Field in Madison to take on FDU-Florham in the Madison Avenue Challenge, hosted by the Madison Little League on Wednesday, April 19 at 6 p.m. The Devils, with an 8-3 win at Dodge Field last season, are in possession of the Madison Avenue Challenge trophy.