Rangers Earn Win And Tie Against USMMA

MADISON, N.J. - The Rangers earned sort of a sweep against the United States Merchant Marine Academy.  Drew won the first game, 9-2, behind a well pitched game from Lauren Collini and a grand slam by Katie Mulligan.  In the second game, Drew rallied for three runs in bottom of the seventh to tie it at 4-4, but neither team scored for the next three innings before the game was called due to darkness.  Drew is now 15-14-1 on the season and 4-3-1 in the Landmark Conference.

The Rangers fell behind in the second as Jess LaValley scored on a Marjorie Marino single.  That lead would not last long as the Rangers came back with four in the bottom of the inning.  Megan Mesaros was hit by a pitch and then Jillian Lusk walked to put to on.  Jesyka Marko singled over thirdbase to load ‘em up.  After an out, Mulligan launched a long, high fly ball well over the left center fence for the grand slam.

In the fifth, Drew added three more as Collini singled and then Mulligan doubled on a ball that almost went out.  With runners on second and third, Kati Eggert's grounder to second brought home Collini and an error put her on first.  Kerry Crowley's grounder back to the pitcher got Mulligan home and Nicole Gagliardi brought Eggert home for a 7-2 lead.

Collini helped her own cause by driving in Marko in the sixth.  She later scored on an error by the right fielder on Cailin McGrorry's fly ball.  Collini's best work though was on the mound.  The junior went all seven allowing four hits and striking out seven.  She got stronger as the game went on retiring six of the last seven she faced for her tenth win of the season.

The second game had the look of a pitcher's duel as April Jacobs for Drew and Jess LaValley of USMMA went head to head for the first five innings.  Drew was able to scratch out a run in the second as Lusk doubled and then scored on an error, but did little damage besides.

Jacobs was pitching a gem for the Rangers, allowing her first hit in the fourth before the Mariners broke through in the sixth.  Kaitlyn Robbins doubled in a pair of runs with one out to give USMMA a 2-1 lead.  The Mariners scored two more in the seventh as the Rangers made a pair of errors and USMMA added a pair of hits.

Heading into the final half inning, Drew trailed 4-1.  Mesaros singled to lead off before back-to-back outs left Drew on the edge of a damaging loss, but Nicole Spiotta and Mulligan both doubled to score a pair of runs.  Kati Eggert singled in Mulligan to tie it up with two outs in the seventh.

As neither team was able to break through, darkness fell on the Drew Softball Field leaving the game tied after nine innings of play.

The Rangers are now 4-3-1 in the Landmark Conference with a pair of very tough doubleheaders left.  The Royals face second place Scranton at home on Saturday before they travel to Moravian on the final weekend of the year to take on the undefeated first place Greyhounds.