MADISON, N.J. (April 9, 2017) – Senior center fielder Phylicia Pellot delivered an extra-inning, walk-off single in Game 1 against Juniata College as the Drew University softball team split a Landmark Conference doubleheader on Sunday at home.
 
By the Numbers: Pellot's heroic hit in the bottom of the eighth inning won the game, 4-3, in the first extra frame. Juniata rebounded in Game 2 for a 4-1 win to move its records to 10-14 and 3-3 in conference, while the Rangers sit at 4-14 and 1-3.
 
Top Performers
• Junior catcher Heather Ronchi combined to go 6-of-7 with three RBIs in the doubleheader, and finished a home run short of the cycle in Game 2. She tied the game twice on base hits in Game 1, including an RBI to knot the game at 3-3 with one out in the bottom of the seventh.
• Sophomore starting pitcher Bethany Budner went the distance in Game 1, throwing all eight innings and retiring her final six batters to put Drew in a position to win. She allowed seven hits and three walks with three runs allowed (two earned) and two strikeouts.
 
The Difference: Following Ronchi's game-tying base knock in the seventh, junior second baseman Madi Sheetz led off extra innings with a hard-hit single to left center. Drew loaded the bases three batters later with no outs before Juniata extended the game briefly by getting a force out at the plate.
 
That brought up Pellot, who sharply grounded an 0-1 pitch up the middle to score Budner for the walk-off win.
 
Game 1 Highlights
• The Eagles took a quick 2-0 lead on a sac fly and a double in the top of the first inning.
• The Rangers got on the board in the 3^rd when Pellot scored on a wild pitch to make it 2-1. They tied it in the fifth on Ronchi's first of two game-tying hits in the first game, a single up the middle to send speedy first baseman Cara O'Leary home.
• Senior shortstop Meghan McGuire led off the seventh with a walk, followed by O'Leary's single. Junior left fielder Brooke Adams singled down the right field line on another 0-2 pitch to load the bases for Ronchi. Her base hit up the middle scored McGuire easily, but she watched as O'Leary was thrown out at the plate to avoid the walk-off in the seventh.
 
Game 2 Highlights
• Down 4-0, Drew got on the board in the fifth on Ronchi's RBI triple to score Pellot, who led off the inning on a nine-pitch walk.
• Senior starting pitcher Emma Agostini escaped a jam in the top of the seventh, getting three straight outs with runners on second and third to hold the deficit at 4-1.
 
Up Next: The Rangers head across the street to FDU-Florham on Wednesday, April 12 for a doubleheader to decide the Battle of Madison Avenue beginning at 3:00 p.m.