NAPLES, Fla. – The Drew University softball team put up a rally in each of the last two innings and scored four runs in the bottom of the eighth to earn a wild 9-8 victory over Rockford University in its season and spring break opener on Sunday in Florida.
In its second game of the day, the Rangers (1-1) dropped a 10-2 decision in six innings to Haverford College.
Against Rockford, Drew trailed 5-2 with one out in the bottom of the seventh. But that's when senior
Molly O'Brien launched a three-run homer to send the game to extra innings.
The Regents responded with three runs in the top of the eighth to make it an 8-5, but Drew refused to go away. In the bottom half, junior
Madi Baldwin got things going with a leadoff single, and with one out, the Rangers ended the game on four straight hits. Freshman
Josie Di Troia doubled home a run before sophomore
Deja Robinson ripped an RBI-single that made it 8-7. Senior
Madi Precht tied it up with a single to center before first-year
Haley Meierhofer smacked a walk-off single down the leftfield line to give the Rangers the improbable victory.
Rockford struck for the game's first run, scoring an unearned run in the first against senior
Bailey Comeau, before Drew answered with two in the bottom half, including an RBI-single from sophomore
Fran O'Kleasky.
The Regents went in front 5-2 with a four-run fourth before Drew put together its seventh-inning comeback. Junior
Francesca Laurito worked a leadoff walk before Precht singled, setting up O'Brien's big blast.
Comeau tossed four innings and struck out seven in a no-decision before senior
Brianna Seals came on to throw the last four frames to pick up the win.
Precht, Meirhofer, and Di Troia collected two hits apiece against Rockford.
In the team's second game of the day, Haverford never trailed after scoring three runs in each of the first two innings to assume a 6-0 lead. Drew put up single runs in the third and the fifth on RBI-singles from Robinson, but the Fords ended the game due to the eight-run rule with a three-run sixth.
Robinson finished 3-for-3 while O'Brien smacked a pair of hits. Sophomore
Teagan Bradley started in the circle and pitched all 5 2/3 innings for Drew.
The Rangers continue their southern swing on Monday, when they take on Anna Maria at 11 a.m. and Grove City at 1 p.m.
