TUCSON, Ariz. – Senior
Molly O'Brien recorded her 100th career hit but the Drew University softball lost a pair of close games to Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute on Sunday during the Rangers' spring break trip to Arizona.
Drew (5-3) carried a five-game winning streak into the day before the Engineers (4-0) won 3-2 in the opener and 3-1 in the second game.
O'Brien reached her milestone with a sixth-inning single of the nightcap. It took her only a little over two seasons to hit the century mark after arriving at Drew for the 2022 season.
In the opener, RPI broke open a scoreless game with single runs in the fourth and fifth, assuming a 2-0 lead. The Rangers broke through in the sixth, when junior
Fran O'Kleasky doubled and scored on a bunt single from O'Brien.
The Engineers, who qualified for the NCAA Division III tournament last season, tacked on an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth before Drew threatened in the top of the seventh. Junior
Mackenzie Pisani roped a leadoff single before senior
Madi Baldwin drew a walk. RPI retired the next two batters before a failed pickoff attempt from the catcher brought home pinch runner
Cadence Mapes-Klemic, but the Engineers ended the game on a strikeout.
O'Brien finished 2-for-3 with a triple in the opener while junior
Teagan Bradley went the distance in the circle, allowing just two earned runs on seven hits and one walk while striking out five.
Drew struck first in the nightcap, as sophomore
Josie Di Troia doubled before scoring on a sacrifice fly from Pisani in the bottom of the second, putting the Rangers up 1-0.
Freshman
Allie Porbansky blanked RPI over the first five innings before the Engineers went in front with a two-run sixth followed by a one-run seventh. Pisani drew a leadoff walk in the bottom half, but Ava Markert was called on to pitch and retired three straight batters to earn the save.
Di Troia finished 2-for-2 in the second game while Porbansky tossed a complete game seven-hitter, striking out four.
The Rangers conclude their spring break trip on Friday, when they take on St. John Fisher University at 9 a.m. MST and Webster University at 11 a.m. MST.
