MADISON, N.J. – After scuffling for five consecutive games, the FDU-Florham softball team came out and defeated the Drew University Rangers 4-1 in game one of a doubleheader, but then fell 8-4 to the Rangers in game two in the Battle of Madison Ave Thursday afternoon in Madison, N.J.
Game one was highlighted by a dominant pitching performance from junior Sydney Worek (Bordentown, N.J.) for the Devils (7-15, 4-6 Freedom) who threw a complete game, allowing only one run on six hits with a season-high nine strikeouts. This was Worek's second consecutive efficient outing and she has now allowed just two runs in her two previous starts.
The Rangers (6-22, 0-8 Landmark) escaped an early attack from the Devils in the top half of the first. With a pair of singles from Marlena Bevilacqua (East Brunswick, N.J.) and Rebecca DeCarlo (Greenwich, CT) to kick off the game, Junior Wynne McCann (Boyertown, Pa.) later came up to bat and was walked to load the bases with two outs. However, the Rangers worked their way out of the jam by getting the next Devil hitter to fly out to center.
Worek was coasting through the Rangers lineup up until the bottom half of the fifth when Brooke Adams singled to left center and came around to score on a Heather Ronchi RBI double to right center. Following the Rangers score, Worek was able to keep the Devils in the game by not surrendering another run.
Holding onto the one run lead heading into the final inning of play, the Rangers looked like they were going to be able to close out the game. However, three straight singles from Taylor Torre (Matawan, N.J.), Christina Legotti (Plainview, N.Y.) and Bevilacqua loaded the bases up for the Devils. The Rangers recorded one more out, but then Paige Lillie (Mount Laurel, N.J.) worked a walk to bring in the tying run.
The very next batter, Nikki Caruso (Madison, N.J.), shot a two-RBI single through the left side and then the power hitting McCann came up and punched an RBI single into left field to give the Devils a 4-1 lead before the inning came to a close.
With a three run advantage, Worek took the mound in the bottom half of the seventh and did not surrender a hit.
In the second game, the Rangers wasted no time taking a lead and in the first inning they managed to bring across three runs. Two innings later, they added three more runs and went ahead 6-0 over the Devils.
It was not until the fourth inning that the Devils managed to score. With two runners on, Michelle Mangini (West Babylon, N.Y.) rifled an RBI single through the left side. Torre followed up the Mangini single with a single of her own to load the bases up with no outs. The Devils had a chance to chip into the deficit, but the Rangers worked out of the jam by recording a timely double play.
The Rangers plated two more runs in the game and entered the seventh inning with an 8-1 advantage. With time running out, Jacquelyn Tartaglia (Island Park, N.Y.) and Caruso reached base safely and came around to score once McCann blasted a three-run home run over the left field fence. However, that was all that the Devils were able to muster late in the game as they fell to the Rangers 8-4.
The Devils will be back in action on Saturday, April 18, as they host the Wilkes University Colonels for a Freedom Conference doubleheader that is set to start at 1 p.m.
