MADISON, N.J. – The Rangers exploded for 12 runs in the fourth inning, breaking the game open early en route to a 17-8 victory over cross-town rival FDU-Florham in the fourth Madison Avenue Challenge Wednesday afternoon at Doc Young Field. Every starter batted safely for the Rangers, who smacked 16 hits – the team's third-highest total of the year.
 
With the win, Drew defends its Madison Avenue Challenge title after winning it the last time the two sides met in 2017. The Rangers have now captured the trophy three times in four meetings since it was started in 2015. Senior Zach Lipshitz reached a milestone for the Blue and Green, scoring his 100th career run. The Rangers also notched a team record, blasting their 21st home run of the season to surpass the 1997 squad's previous mark.
 
Highlights
• The Rangers (17-13) never trailed after junior Brent Lincoln and senior Eric DiPietro clouted back-to-back doubles in the second to make it 1-0.
• Drew went in front 5-0 after a four-run third before erupting in the fourth. The Rangers sent 17 batters to the plate and roped 10 hits in the inning, which was highlighted by a three-run homer from junior Matthew Lange that made it 15-1. The Devils (11-20) committed a pair of two-out errors that allowed the final seven runs of the inning to score.
• Senior Jendy Castillo (4-3) started on the mound for Drew, retired the first seven batters he faced, and did not allow a hit until the fourth inning.
• Freshman Teddy Hoxie came on in relief to throw 3 1/3 innings of relief, allowing just one earned run, before junior Vinny Carlesi recorded the final out.
 
Top Performers
• Lange finished 2-for-2 with four RBIs. He has now homered in back-to-back games.
• DiPietro went 3-for-5 with a double and four RBIs.
• Lipshitz finished 2-for-4 with three runs and a pair of RBIs. His second run scored gave him the century mark, making him just the eighth player in school history to reach the milestone. Lipshitz has now reached base in 18 consecutive games and has batted safely in 10 straight.
• Junior Anthony Tagliaferro, playing for the first time since March 17 due to injury, went 2-for-4 with a double, three runs, and three RBIs while starting at DH.
• Castillo tied his season-high in strikeouts set just one week earlier, finishing with seven K's.
 
Next Up
Drew returns to Landmark Conference action on Friday, when they open a three-game series at Elizabethtown College with a doubleheader starting at 12:30 p.m.