Lusk, Eggert Go Deep to Sink Mariners

MADISON, N.J. (April 29, 2010)- The Rangers came back from a 3-0 deficit thanks to a pair of home runs by Kati Eggert (Denville, N.J./Morris Knolls) and Jillian Lusk (Scotch Plains, N.J./Scotch Plains). Drew scored all six of its runs in their final three turns at bat.

There wouldn't be a cloud in the sky that would disrupt this, 6-3 Ranger victory. Drew (11-24, 2-8 Landmark) got revenge on the Mariners who defeated the Rangers earlier this season 4-2 in a nearly four hour weather delayed contest in Madison.

Merchant Marine (10-15, 1-7 Landmark) got their bats going in the top of the second inning with a two-out rally. Cheyanne Loppnow led off the inning with a walk and was pushed over to second on a fielder's choice. She would go on to score on a Lindsay Watkins single. Leftfielder Sarah Marino then dug in two batters later and laced a triple, clearing the bases and giving the Mariners a 3-0 advantage.

The Rangers built their first rally in the bottom of the fourth inning when Jackie Mannino (Little Silver, N.J./Red Bank) picked up the second Drew hit of the day. The next batter, Nicole Spiotta (Morris Plains, N.J./Morristown), reached on a fielder's while Mannino was safe at second because of an errant throw by the second baseman. Lusk would be the next batter and after working the count, she blasted a ball down the left field line to tie the game at three.

In the next inning, the Rangers would strike again via the long ball. Jen Mateo (Union City, N.J./Union City) used her speed and beat out a throw from the third baseman Nicol Kogel with two outs. Mateo, trying to get into scoring position, took off for second base and just got under the tag to put the go-ahead run on second. Eggert then took advantage of the RBI opportunity by driving a ball over the right-center field wall to put the Rangers up 5-3.

Drew tacked on an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth as Adriana Durso (Old Tappan, N.J./North Valley Old Tappan) helped her own cause by poking a ball through the left side scoring Lusk who reached on a single earlier in the inning.

Durso tossed her 19th complete game of the season and picked up her seventh win of the season. She struck out six batters and held the Mariners scoreless over her last five innings of work.

Lusk finished the day 2-for-3 with 3 RBIs and Eggert also had two hits while driving in two. Mannino was the third person of the Ranger trio with two hits on the day while also scoring a run.

The Rangers will honor their seniors on Saturday when they take on Scranton in their final Landmark Conference doubleheader of the year. First pitch is slated for 1:00.