MADISON, N.J. (April 23, 2015) – The Rangers' bullpen closed out a brilliant effort by sophomore starting pitcher Kevin Skettini as the Drew University baseball team won the Battle of Madison Avenue, 4-2, over rival FDU-Florham on Thursday night at Dodge Field.
 
Sophomore third baseman Jonathan Rodrigues came up with the clutch hit in the top of the sixth inning, breaking a 2-2 tie with an RBI double to put the Rangers ahead in support of Skettini's solid start. Rodrigues went 2-for-4 at the dish, while sophomore left fielder Mike DiDonato batted 3-for-5 with a run scored and sophomore catcher Mike Miraglia continued his torrid April with a 2-for-4 day and an RBI.
 
Skettini's final line of 5.2 innings with two runs, four hits, five walks and four strikeouts was good enough for the victory on the hill, his first in Blue & Green. Freshman reliever Joe Dahut helped preserve the lead with a dominating 1.1 innings of work in which he surrendered just a walk and struck out three Devils. Senior closer Matthew Hunter picked up his fifth save of the season, a six-out job with three hits allowed and three strikeouts. The 10 strikeouts by the Drew staff tied a season high.
 
Hunter had some help in the outfield thanks to two outstanding plays by DiDonato in right field in the ninth inning. DiDonato recorded the second out of the inning by just picking off a sinking liner. The sophomore clutched the final out of the game in his glove on a shot that appeared that it could win the game as a walk-off home run, but DiDonato ran down the bomb and made the catch at the right field fence.
 
Drew took home some hardware with the victory as the Madison Little League provided the winner of the first-ever Madison Avenue Challenge with a brand new trophy, topped with a golden glove and adorned with plaques for each year's winner.

 
The Rangers (13-20) set the tone early with a four-hit top of the first inning, highlighted by a one-out RBI single by junior first baseman Bobby Miskura to put Drew ahead 1-0. Skettini followed suit with a strong start to his evening on the mound, retiring the first three Devils (9-20) in order.
 
The Devils' only damage against Skettini was done in the bottom of the second, when the home team loaded the bases with no outs. Drew's sophomore hurler limited the possible output by the Devils by inducing a run-scoring double-play. However, FDU-Florham took its only lead of the day in the next at-bat with a two-out RBI single.
 
The lead was short-lived as Drew tied it up in the next half-inning. Hits by senior center fielder Al Krause and sophomore catcher Mike Miraglia, and a walk by junior second baseman Anthony Feltre loaded with bases with one out for senior left fielder J.C. Rasic. The veteran outfielder worked a full count then produced a sacrifice fly to center field to knot the score at 2-2.
 
Skettini did his part by not allowing a hit over the next three frames while punching out four Devils in the process, allowing his offense the opportunity to win the game. They did just that in the top of the sixth as DiDonato led off with a single, and after senior shortstop Steve Kowalski sacrificed him into scoring position, Rodrigues drove him in for the eventual game-winning run. Later in the inning, Miraglia was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to bring the Drew lead to 4-2.
 
After allowing two base runners in the bottom of the sixth, Skettini handed the ball to Dahut, who promptly coaxed a groundout to Feltre to end the inning. Dahut returned in the seventh to strike out the side and hold the 4-2 Ranger advantage.
 
Hunter was called on for the six-out save, and while he allowed four base runners, three punch outs by the Drew closer made the different and Hunter's eighth career save shut the door on the 2015 chapter of the Battle of Madison Avenue.
 
Drew heads into the most important weekend of the regular season with some good momentum. The Rangers will play a three-game Landmark Conference series at first place The University of Scranton with a playoff spot on the line. Mathematically, the Rangers can finish anywhere from the No. 1 seed to missing the championship playoff. The weekend begins with a doubleheader starting at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, April 25 in Scranton.