MADISON, N.J. (April 17, 2019) – The FDU-Florham baseball team tallied seven runs over the final four innings but were topped by Drew University in the Battle of Madison Ave. 17-8 Wednesday afternoon.

The Devils drop to 11-20, as Drew improves to 17-13.

The host Rangers did all their scoring in the second, third and fourth innings including 12 runs on 10 hits in the bottom of the fourth inning. FDU put two runners on base in the top half of the third inning on walks by junior Billy Podurgiel and sophomore Joe Moskowitz but were unable to push a run across.

FDU, who did not have a hit until the top of the fourth inning, registered their first run in the inning. Senior Ian Havran led off with a walk before moving into scoring position as a pitch hit sophomore AJ Yurista. Junior Kevin Smiegocki singled home Havran with a knock through the left side. The next three hitters were struck out, limiting the damage to just one run.

After the big inning by the Rangers, FDU threatened in the visiting half of the fifth. Moskowitz and classmate Matt Nodoro delivered consecutive one-out singles to left field before Moskowitz moved up on a Havran fly-out. That was as far as they would go, with a swinging out strikeout ending the fifth stanza.

The Devils whittled away at the lead, scoring four times in the top of the sixth. The team loaded the bases with one out on a single by freshman Tyler McCulloch, a double by rookie Brian Schnack and a walk by junior Michael Tufano. The free passes continued, as senior Jake Alercio, Moskowitz and freshman Bobby Hefferon all walked. The final tally in the inning came on a fielder's choice, as sophomore Chris Ciancimino reached base with Alercio crossing the plate.

Sophomore Joseph Buser set the Rangers down in order in the sixth before allowing just one hit in the seventh. FDU added an unearned run in the eighth, as sophomore Nate Peacock reached second on an error before moving to third on a wild pitch. Alercio delivered his second RBI of the game, this time a sacrifice fly to right field to score Peacock. Buser pitched a perfect eighth, giving FDU one final at-bat.

Sophomore Hakim Hamer dropped a one-out single into left field before McCulloch singled to right center. An error moved both men up a base, as junior Jonathan Biale laced a two-out double into left field, scoring both Hamer and McCulloch. That would be as close as the Devils would get, as a Peacock groundout closed out the game.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
•    Alercio had the first two-RBI game of his career and did so without registering an official at-bat. He had a walk, and a sacrifice fly in two plate appearances.
•    Buser had the best outing of his career, throwing 4 1/3 scoreless innings while allowing just three hits. The sophomore struck out a career-best four hitters in his appearance.
•    McCulloch led the way with two singles, with Biale coming off the bench to go 1-for-2.

UP NEXT
The Devils resume Middle Atlantic Conference Freedom play tomorrow, hosting Manhattanville College at 3:30 p.m. The game will be played at Diamond Nation in Flemington, N.J.