MADISON, NJ—It's nail-biting time for The University of Scranton baseball team.

With only two weekends left in the regular season, the Royals dropped a 3-2 decision to Drew University Friday afternoon at Doc Young Field in the first of a 3-game series, falling two games behind the Rangers for the fourth and final spot in the upcoming Landmark Conference tournament.

After a week in which Scranton pounded out 56 hits in posting victories over local non-conference rivals King's College, Marywood University, and Baptist Bible College, the Royal bats went silent at a most inopportune time.

And that was largely due to Drew sophomore pitcher Ken Myers (Stratford, NJ/Sterling), who struck out 11 batters and allowed only three hits and one earned run in 8 and 1/3 innings to help the Rangers improve to 17-14 overall and 8-5 in the conference.  The loss drops Scranton to 16-14 overall and 6-7 in the Landmark.

Myers's effort overshadowed a solid pitching effort by Royal junior Robert Della Polla (Havertown, Pa./St. Joseph's Preparatory), who went the distance, struck out six, gave up only two earned runs, and scattered 10 hits in taking the loss.

Scranton did, however, make the most of its three hits, building up a 2-0 lead in the third inning.  After Myers gave up back-to-back walks to senior Matt Rayha (Willow Street, Pa./Penn Manor) and freshman Michael Umerich (Clarks Summit, Pa./Abington Heights) with two outs, junior Tim LeCompte (Philadelphia, Pa./Roman Catholic) delivered an RBI single that scored Rayha and Umerich came around to score on an error on the play.

Della Polla threw six scoreless innings until the Rangers picked up one in the seventh on an RBI single by sophomore Dominic Reyes (Jersey City, NJ/Ferris) that knocked in freshman Michael Chiarella, who walked and advanced to second base on a sacrifice bunt by sophomore Matthew Kaplon (Palisades Park, NJ/Palisades Park).

In the eighth, Drew Obergfell hit an RBI triple and pinch-runner Al Krause (Secaucus, NJ/Secaucus) scored what turned out to be the game-winning run on an error.

The Royals, however, did not go down easily in the ninth inning.  Sophomore Eric Pizzico (Royersford, Pa./Spring Ford) belted a one-out double, but Ranger junior relief pitcher Pat Rock (Cranston, RI/Mount Saint Charles Academy) induced the final two outs after pinch-runner and freshman Nick Papillo (Germantown, Md./St. John's College High School) advanced to third on a wild pitch after the second out.

Scranton and Drew will play a 7-inning doubleheader tomorrow morning at Doc Young Field beginning at 11:00 a.m.