MADISON, N.J. – Senior Fran O'Kleasky blasted a go-ahead three-run homer in the bottom of the sixth give the Rangers a victory in the opener and the Drew University softball team came away with a split versus cross-town rival FDU-Florham in a non-conference doubleheader at a hot Drew Softball Complex on Thursday.
 
Drew (18-18) won the opener 4-1 before the Devils (20-16) captured the second game 7-3.
 
The Rangers were also participating in the National Fastpitch Coaches Association's (NFCA) StrikeOut Cancer event and before the games, the team joined FDU for a special ceremony on the field. All money raised by the Rangers will be donated to the Dana Farber Cancer Institute.
 
Junior Olivia Magliacano reached a milestone for Drew, as her first hit of the day gave her 100 collegiate hits. She recorded 29 hits at Caldwell University in 2023 and has now posted 72 for the Rangers.
 
In the opener, freshman Gabby Duran started in the circle and allowed just an unearned run in the third that put the Devils up 1-0. It was still a one-run game heading into the bottom of the sixth, when the Rangers pushed across all four of their runs.
 
Junior Josie Di Troia and senior MacKenzie Pisani sparked the rally with back-to-back singles leading off the inning before O'Kleasky drilled a pitch down the leftfield line and over the fence for her second straight dramatic, late-game home run. She also smacked a three-run homer in the bottom of the seventh to force extra innings versus Juniata this past Saturday.
 
The Rangers padded their lead with another run in the sixth, as junior Zoey Shimp followed O'Kleasky's homer with a double and scored on a single up the middle on Magliacano's milestone hit.
 
Senior Teagan Bradley (6-8) pitched the final three innings to earn the win for Drew, tossing a pair of scoreless innings while allowing just two hits and one walk while striking out one.
 
Pisani led the Rangers at the plate in the opener, finishing 2-for-2.
 
In the second game, Drew jumped to a 2-0 lead in the first inning, but the Devils responded in the top of the second, scoring all seven of their runs on four hits and two errors.
 
The Rangers set the final fourth, when Magliacano tripled in a run with her school-record-tying ninth three-bagger of the season.
 
Junior Aurora Marino and sophomore Karly Severinsen each collected two hits in the second game while sophomore Kaitlynne Streets (2-4) started in the circle and pitched five innings while allowing only one earned run on seven hits and two walks. Bradley pitched the final two innings again.

The Rangers continue their season on Sunday, when they host Elizabethtown College in a Landmark Conference doubleheader at 1 p.m. on Senior Day.