WAYNE, Pa. – The Drew University baseball team erased an 8-0 first-inning deficit to earn a 10-9 victory at previously-undefeated William Paterson University in a non-conference matchup Saturday afternoon.
 
The Rangers (2-2) scored 10 unanswered runs, highlighted by a six-run, two-homer sixth inning.
 
Freshman Zach Maxwell and senior Anthony Hernandez had big days at the plate for Drew, which smacked 20 hits. Maxwell went 4-for-6 with a double and a home run while Hernandez finished 4-for-5. Freshman Anthony Vallaro added a 3-for-5 day at the plate, senior Will Fritch homered, and senior Anthony Diaz Jr., senior Raiden Yost, freshman Frank Master, and sophomore Jack Mocik drilled two hits apiece.
 
Senior Matt Colucci (1-1) tossed 4 2/3 innings of relief to earn the win for the Rangers, allowing two runs on five hits while striking out six without walking a batter. Senior Nic Curcio fired three scoreless innings, allowing just one hit, while senior Connor Ruscansky worked the ninth and held off a William Paterson rally to earn the save.
 
Braden Ramirez went 3-for-5 with two doubles for the Pioneers (4-1).
 
Colucci came on for starter Brandon Kobryn with one out in the first and blanked William Paterson from the second through the fourth.

It was still an 8-0 game after three innings of play before the Rangers began their comeback, scoring twice in the fourth and once in the fifth to make it an 8-3 game.
 
In the pivotal sixth, Drew scored the last five runs of the inning with two outs. Vallaro sparked the Rangers with a leadoff single before freshman Redsy Klein walked. Mocik bunted the runners over before Diaz drove in a run with sacrifice fly. Maxwell followed up with his first collegiate home run, a two-run shot that made it 8-6.
 
After a pitching change, Yost was hit by a pitch before Fritch blasted a two-run homer to center, pulling the Rangers even at 8-8. Hernandez then singled, stole second, and scored on a go-ahead single from Master.

Curcio entered the game in the bottom of the sixth and coaxed a big inning-ending double play to keep the Pioneers off the scoreboard.
 
Drew added an insurance run in the eighth that proved to be the difference. Yost led off with a single before Fritch was hit by a pitch. Hernandez then pushed in a run on a bunt single to make it a 10-8 game.
 
The Pioneers threatened in the ninth, opening with back-to-back doubles and a walk. But Ruscansky induced three straight fly balls to preserve the win.
 
The Rangers are back in action on Wednesday, when they visit The College of New Jersey at 3 p.m.