MADISON, N.J. – Freshman pitcher Aidan Bauer turned in an impressive performance in his first career start, but nationally-ranked Montclair State University used a big seventh inning to hand the Drew University baseball team a 10-7 setback in its home opener Wednesday afternoon at Lonnstrom Stadium.
 
Bauer held Montclair State (13-2), ranked 21st in Division III by the American Baseball Coaches Association, to just one run on four hits through six innings, and it was a 1-1 game heading into the seventh. But that's when the Red Hawks erupted for seven runs on four hits, two walks, and an error.
 
The Rangers (7-7) rallied with six runs over the seventh and eighth innings to make it 8-7, but MSU escaped with the tying run on second in the eighth before adding two insurance runs in the ninth.
 
At the plate, juniors Raiden Yost and Ryan Jones each collected two hits for the Rangers while senior Billy Coleman scored a pair of runs. Freshman Alex Feeney pitched an inning of relief while junior Kenny Yonker tossed the last two innings, allowing just two unearned runs.
 
Bauer and Montclair State's Matthew Tiplady found themselves in a pitcher's duel early, with each throwing three shutout innings to open the game. Sam Angelo put the Red Hawks on the scoreboard with a solo home run – his 10th of the season – leading off the fourth.
 
Bauer worked out of trouble later in the inning, striking out the final batter to leave runners on first and second. He went on to roll up a 6-4-3 inning-ending double play in the fifth before leaving another runner on base in the sixth. Meanwhile, the Rangers pulled even in the bottom of the sixth when senior Anthony Hernandez drew a leadoff walk and eventually scored on a single up the middle from Jones.
 
After the visitors went up 8-1, the Rangers pushed across two in the seventh on a two-out error. Then in the eighth, Drew put up a four-spot, capped by a two-run triple from junior Dallas Lorenzetti and an RBI-double from senior Anthony Diaz Jr., making it an 8-7 affair.
 
Montclair State scored two more in the ninth without the benefit of hit, as an intentional walk and an error led to back-to-back sacrifice flies that set the final score.
 
The Rangers had the tying run on deck in the ninth after Hernandez led off with a single, but reliever Michael Todaro retired the next three batters to earn the save.
 
Drew continues its season on Monday, when it hosts The College of New Jersey at 3:30 p.m. in another non-conference outing.