MADISON, N.J. – Junior Matthew Lange capped an incredible Drew comeback, drilling a walk-off, two-run single down the rightfield line as the Rangers scored seven runs in the bottom of the ninth to stun Catholic University 8-7 in a Landmark Conference series finale Sunday at Doc Young Field.
 
By The Numbers
Heading into the final weekend of the season, the Rangers (19-15, 7-8 LC) find themselves in fifth place in the Landmark Conference standings, a half game behind the University of Scranton for the fourth and final playoff spot. Catholic, which has clinched a playoff appearance, fell to 26-12 and 11-7 in league play.
 
Highlights
• The Rangers scored a run without a hit in the first, when juniors Max Felsenstein and Bryan Reagle drew back-to-back walks before Lange brought home Felsenstein with a groundout.
• Freshman starter Grant Purpura blanked the Cardinals over the first three innings before Catholic went ahead with a two-run fourth.
• The visitors added five more runs off three different Ranger pitchers from in the seventh and eighth to assume a 7-1 lead after eight innings.
• Senior Harry Cohen recorded two outs in the ninth, when Catholic had runners on the corners. That's when senior Jendy Castillo came on to strike out a batter looking to end the inning.
• After Catholic starter David Gately shut out Drew over his last seven innings, the Rangers had much better luck versus the Cardinal bullpen. Senior Zach Lipshitz kick-started the Rangers' big inning, singling off reliever Colin Cunningham.
• Lange was then hit by a pitch before junior Anthony Tagliaferro reached on an infield single up the middle. Sophomore Cole Bosch followed up with a ringing double over the leftfielder, plating Lipshitz and Lange to make it 7-3.
• Junior Jon Cocchio brought home Tagliaferro with a sacrifice fly before junior Brent Lincoln blooped an infield single to the left side.
• Catholic made another pitching change, turning to Ethan Risse, who walked pinch-hitter Joe Grossane to load the bases.
• Felsenstein followed up with a well-struck, two-run single through the left side to score Bosch and pinch-runner Mike Pettigrew, making it a 7-6 game.
• After a strikeout, Lipshitz was intentionally walked to load the bases. Lange then fell behind 0-2 before hooking a pitch past a diving first baseman, scoring pinch-runner Brandon Radd with the tying run and Felsenstein with the game-winner, setting off a raucous celebration in the infield.
 
Top Performers
• Lipshitz and Tagliaferro each collected two hits. Lipshitz has now reached base in 22 straight games.
• Felsenstein finished with two runs and two RBIs while Lange drove in three runs.
• Purpura went 6 1/3 innings and allowed four runs on seven hits. He struck out a season-high seven batters.
• Cohen did not allow a run in his 2/3 of an inning while Castillo (6-3) needed to throw just four pitches to earn his team-leading sixth victory of the season, five days after firing a two-hit complete game.
 
Next Up
The Rangers close out the regular season Saturday and Sunday with a three-game Landmark Conference series at Elizabethtown College, starting with a doubleheader on Saturday at 12:30 p.m.