MADISON, N.J. – The Drew University baseball team struck for seven runs over the first three innings en route to a 9-3 victory over Saint Elizabeth University at FDU-Florham on Friday as part of the Madison Avenue Challenge.
 
The Rangers (3-1) won their third straight game while the Eagles lost their season opener.
 
Senior Giovanni DeGiglio started on the mound for the Rangers and worked 5 1/3 innings to pick up the win. He allowed just three hits and struck out while yielding just one run, improving to 2-0 on the season.
 
Sophomore Ryan Jones led Drew at the plate, finishing 3-for-4.
 
In the first inning, sophomore Will Fritch, senior KJ Hallgren, and junior Nate Miller all walked to load the bases. Junior Anthony Hernandez followed up with an RBI-single before classmate Luis Fuentes drew a bases-loaded walk. Sophomore Raiden Yost completed the big inning when he ripped a two-run single up the middle.
 
Jones sparked the Rangers in the second inning. He led off with a single, stole second, and scored on a double from Fritch, who eventually came around to score on a wild pitch.
 
The Eagles got on the scoreboard in the bottom half, scoring one run on a pair of walks and an RBI-single. But the Rangers answered with a run in the top of the third, when a bunt single from Jones was thrown away, allowing Yost to score from second.
 
Drew scored an unearned run in the fifth, then tacked on a final run in the eighth, when a sacrifice fly from sophomore John Furch made it 9-1. The Eagles pushed across two runs in the bottom half to set the final score.
 
Senior Nick Pellegrino relieved DeGiglio and fired 1 2/3 innings of scoreless ball, allowing just one hit while striking out one. Freshman Chris Tobia tossed one inning and yielded two runs (one earned) before junior TJ Shuman spun a scoreless ninth.
 
The Rangers conclude play at the Madison Avenue Challenge on Sunday, when they visit FDU-Florham at 1:30 p.m.