MADISON, N.J. – Senior
Molly O'Brien broke the school and Landmark Conference records for career stolen bases and the Drew University softball team earned a sweep over William Paterson University in its home opener on Thursday.
The Rangers (7-3) won 10-2 in six innings in the opener before capturing an 8-3 decision in the nightcap.
O'Brien entered the game with 61 steals, one shy of the Drew and conference record established by former teammate
Madi Precht C'23 from 2018-23. She tied the record with a steal of second base in the fourth inning of the first game, then broke it when she swiped third in the sixth inning of Game Two. O'Brien achieved the feat in just 85 games after arriving at the Forest for the 2022 season.
In the opener, junior
Mackenzie Pisani went 3-for-3 with two doubles and four RBIs to lead the Rangers at the plate while junior
Fran O'Kleasky and sophomore
Josie Di Troia each cracked a pair of hits. In addition, junior
Teagan Bradley tossed a complete-game four-hitter, striking out five.
Drew trailed 2-0 heading into the bottom of the fourth in the opener before tying it up on an RBI-single from Pisani and a run-scoring double from Di Troia.
The Rangers then erupted for four runs apiece in the fifth and sixth. Pisani provided the big blow in the fifth with a three-run double before Bradley helped herself with a two-RBI double in the sixth. Sophomore Hailey Meierhofer singled home a run to make it 9-2 and eventually scored on an error for the game-ending run.
In the second game, Drew used a balanced offensive attack, as six Rangers batted safely. Di Troia, Pisani, junior
Delaney O'Donoghue, and sophomore
Aurora Marino all smacked two hits apiece while Pisani also knocked in three more runs to finish with seven RBIs for the day. Freshman
Allie Porbansky fired a complete game, scattering 12 hits and striking out seven.
Pisani and O'Donoghue each ripped RBI-singles in the early going and the Rangers led 2-1 after three innings of play. Drew then opened up a 6-1 lead with a four-run fourth, highlighted by a two-run double from Pisani.
The Pioneers scored once in the fifth before Drew tacked on two insurance runs in the sixth, which included another RBI-single from O'Donoghue.
William Paterson threatened in the top of the seventh, scoring once and loading the bases following three singles and a walk. But Porbansky recorded three straight outs, including a strikeout to end the game.
The Rangers are now off until Wednesday, when they host The College of New Jersey at 2 p.m. in another non-conference outing.
