MADISON, N.J. – The Drew University softball team lost a pair of close games to Juniata College in a Landmark Conference doubleheader at a sweltering Drew Softball Complex on Friday.
The Eagles (14-9, 4-2 LC) captured the opener 3-0 in a pitcher's duel before holding off a late Drew rally to win 7-5 in nine innings in the second game.
Between games, Drew held a ceremony to honor its three seniors –
Bailey Comeau,
Madi Precht, and
Brianna Seals – who were playing their final regular-season weekend series at home.
Precht finished 5-for-7 on the day for the Rangers (18-11, 4-4 LC).
Comeau fired a four-hitter and struck out 11 in the first game, which was scoreless heading into the fifth inning. But the Eagles broke it open with a two-run double from Alison Superka and it was enough offense for Cate Baran, who tossed a three-hit shutout. She struck out six and did not walk a batter.
It was the fourth double-digit strikeout performance of the season and the fourth in five games for Comeau (8-3).
The second game was a back-and-forth affair that saw the Eagles take a 1-0 lead in the first inning. Drew answered in the bottom of the second, getting a double from sophomore
Deja Robinson, who ended up scoring on a passed ball. The Rangers then went in front 2-1 on an RBI-single from Precht in the fourth.
Seals allowed just one run through the first five innings in the circle for Drew before running into trouble in the sixth, when Juniata pushed across three runs on two hits, two walks, and an error to go up 4-2.
The Eagles added another run in the seventh but the Rangers would not go quietly, however, rallying with three in the bottom half to force extras. Precht bunted her way on before back-to-back errors scored a pair of runs to make it 5-4. Junior
Madi Baldwin then tied it with an RBI-single.
Drew had the go-ahead run on third in the bottom of the eighth, but Baran (9-3), who tossed six innings of relief in the nightcap, got out of it with a pop out.
Baran helped herself in the ninth, leading off with a double before scoring the go-ahead run.
Precht finished 4-for-5 in the second game while Robinson and sophomore
Teagan Bradley collected two hits apiece. Seals (5-3) worked the complete game, scattering nine hits and striking out four.
The Rangers close out a stretch of 11 straight home games on Tuesday, when they take on Stevens in a non-conference doubleheader starting at 3 p.m.
