Drew Stuns Top Seed Moravian On Opening Day Of Baseball Postseason
BETHLETHEM Pa. – In their first ever Landmark postseason appearance, the Drew baseball team shocked the #1 seed Moravian (26-15) this afternoon in 11 innings, 5-4. Pinch-hitter Matthew Hunter (Forest Hills, N.Y./Archbishop Molloy) singled home the game-winning run in the top of the 11th inning for the Ranger victory.
A pitcher's duel between Ken Myers (Stratford, N.J./Sterling) and Thomas Mariano ensued over the first seven innings of play with neither team pushing a run across until Moravian struck in the bottom of the seventh inning. Myers was credited with six innings pitched and allowed only one run while striking out four. Mariano held the Rangers to only one run in seven and one third innings.
After the Greyhounds took a 1-0 lead on a fielder's choice RBI, the Rangers came right back in the top of the eighth inning when Steve Kowalski (Robbinsville, N.J./Robbinsville) delivered an RBI single to left field that scored Michael Scarzafava (Cliffside Park, N.J./Cliffside Park). The freshman, Kowalski, had a career day, going 4-for-5 with a run scored an RBI.
Junior Pat Rock (Cranston, R.I./Providence Country Day) came on in relief for the Rangers and was brilliant, going a season-high five innings. His first three innings of work he did not allow a hit.
In the top of the 10th the Rangers scored three runs on one hit and four walks. Senior Steven DeBonis (Hamilton, N.J./Nottingham) led off the inning with a single and advanced to second on a failed pick-off attempt. The Moravian pitching staff then issued four consecutive walks, one intentional, to score two runs. The Rangers pushed one more run across on an RBI ground out by Matthew Kaplon (Palisades, Park, N.J./Palisades Park) to make the score 4-1.
Moravian rallied in the bottom of the 10th to tie the game up, taking advantage of a one-out throwing error. Ryan Luke tied the game up with a two-RBI single up the middle that scored two unearned runs.
The resilient Rangers, as they have done all season, put together one last rally to give Rock and the Drew defense a one-run advantage in the bottom of the 11th. Junior Michael Bodden (Toms River, N.J./Monsignor Donovan) led off the inning with his fourth hit of the day. The Ranger left fielder finished the day with a 4-for-5 effort at the plate. The Greyhounds botched the sacrifice bunt attempt on the next batter allowing Bodden to go all the way to third with no outs.
The next batter, Hunter, ripped a ball into left field to give the Rangers a 5-4 lead. Rock closed the door on the top-seeded Greyhounds with a 1-2-3, 11th inning to earn his conference-leading seventh win of the season.
Story provided by Drew Sports Information
