MADISON, N.J. – The Drew University baseball team won both ends of a doubleheader versus Juniata College on Saturday to earn a Landmark Conference series sweep of the Eagles.
 
The Rangers rallied to win the opener 4-3 on a walk-off single from senior Anthony Hernandez, then captured the nightcap 4-0 on a combined shutout from freshman Aidan Bauer and sophomore Brandon Kobryn.
 
Drew (12-7, 5-3 LC), which has won its last five games, earned its first series victory over Juniata since 2019 and its first series sweep of the Eagles since 2017.
 
Senior Anthony Diaz Jr. and freshman Aiden Mitchell both enjoyed big offensive performances for the Rangers, with Diaz finishing 5-for-8 with a pair of doubles and Mitchell going 4-for-8.
 
The opener featured a pitcher's duel most of the way between Drew junior Matt Colucci and Juniata's Derek Gehr. However, the Eagles used a three-hit second inning to go up 3-0.
 
Undeterred, Colucci settled in to retire 15 batters in a row from the second through the seventh, when the Eagles drew a two-out walk. But Colucci induced an inning-ending groundout and finished the day allowing just three runs on three hits and three walks while striking out five. He tossed five perfect innings on the day and allowed just one baserunner in innings other than second.
 
Junior Nic Curcio came on to pitch in the eighth and was just as impressive, retiring six of the seven batters he faced while striking out four. He yielded only a one-out single in the eighth before retiring his last five batters and fanning his last four.
 
Meanwhile, the Rangers put up one run in the fifth on doubles from junior Dallas Lorenzetti and Diaz. Then in the eighth, the Rangers scored twice to tie the game at 3-3. Diaz and junior Raiden Yost opened the inning with consecutive singles before senior Nate Miller launched a sacrifice fly to score Diaz. After a single from Mitchell, the Eagles nearly escaped allowing just one run, but an infield error allowed Yost to score as well.
 
Juniata brought on reliever Ari Lonstein in the ninth, and senior Billy Coleman worked a leadoff, pinch-hit walk. He was bunted to second by freshman Jack Mocik before Diaz was walked intentionally. Yost was then hit by a pitch to load the bases before Hernandez roped a single into center, ending the game as the Rangers stormed the field in celebration.
 
Diaz finished 3-for-4 with two doubles in the opener while Miller went 2-for-2. Curcio (1-0) earned his first victory as a Ranger.
 
Both starting pitchers were in control early in the nightcap as well, as Bauer and Juniata's Braelan Huber tossed four shutout innings to start the game. It was still a scoreless affair heading into the sixth after Juniata's Aidan Chermol came on to blank the Rangers in the fifth; however, Drew broke through in the sixth. Mitchell roped a one-out single and stole second before junior Ryan Jones worked a walk. Jason Waguespak was then summoned out of the pen and was promptly greeted by Coleman with a ringing double off the left-center wall, clearing the bases to put the Rangers up 2-0. Coleman also scored after a single from Mocik and a squeeze bunt from Lorenzetti.
 
The Rangers tacked on an insurance run in the seventh, when Hernandez singled before eventually scoring on a double down the rightfield line from Mitchell.
 
On the mound, Bauer worked out of a jam early, striking out a batter to end the first after Juniata put runners on second and third. He was the beneficiary of some stellar defense, as the Rangers turned two double plays behind him, including a 5-4-3 twin killing to end the third and a 1-6-3 DP in the fourth to erase a leadoff walk. Later in the inning, he caught a batter looking, stranding runners on the corners.
 
In the fifth, the Eagles got a one-out single, but Coleman threw out the runner stealing to end the inning.
 
Bauer worked a three-up, three-down sixth but ran into trouble in the seventh, when Juniata drew consecutive walks to open the inning. However, that's when Kobryn came on to record three straight outs. Juniata threatened again in the eighth, putting runs on first and second with one out. But Kobryn induced a line drive to short, and Diaz stepped on second for the team's third double play of the game to end the frame.
 
Kobryn recorded the first two outs in the second before Juniata put two on board following an error and a walk. But Kobryn ended the game himself when he snared a line drive back to the mound.
 
Bauer (2-2) scattered four hits and five walks while striking out five to earn his first win as a starter. Kobryn was touched for just one hit and two walks while striking out two en route to his first collegiate save.
 
Mitchell finished 3-for-4 in the nightcap while Diaz, Hernandez, Coleman, and Mocik each collected two hits. In addition, Lorenzetti contributed heavily as well, turning in numerous defensive gems at second base.
 
The Rangers continue their eight-game homestand on Tuesday, when they host Moravian University at 3:30 p.m. in the second game of the three-game series between the two sides.