EDWARDSVILLE, Pa. – First year Talia Piragas' (Old Forge, PA/Old Forge) three-run double in the bottom of the fifth inning lifted the No. 4 seed Wilkes University softball team to a win at the Ralston Athletic Complex on Wednesday afternoon, defeating No. 5 seed Drew University 3-0 in the opening game of the Landmark Conference Tournament.

Wilkes improves to 17-14 overall with the victory, while Drew falls to 20-21.

Both teams remained scoreless through the first four innings of play, with Drew stranding two runners in the second and third inning, while Wilkes left the bases loaded in the third and were unable to get a run home.

The Rangers once again left two on base in the top of the fourth, with Lauren DeMarco (Merrick, NY/Sanford H. Calhoun) entering the game for Mia Butka (Scranton, PA/West Scranton) and keeping the game scoreless. After the Colonel defense sat Drew down in order in the top of the fifth, Wilkes loaded the bases the bases with hits from Allyson Stafursky (Eynon, PA/Valley View), Hana Cross (Kendall Park, NJ/South Brunswick), and a bunt single from Butka. Piragas then broke the game open with a bases-clearing double to right field, giving Wilkes the 3-0 lead.

Two more scoreless innings from DeMarco and the Colonel defense sealed the win, allowing only one hit in the top of the sixth inning.

DeMarco (9-3) picked up the victory pitching 3 2/3 innings allowing the lone hit with three strikeouts. Butka opened the game in the circle with three strikeouts of her own. Piragas, Stafursky, and Cross had a team-high two hits each.

Teagan Bradley (8-9) was given the loss pitching a complete game allowing three runs on eight hits with four strikeouts. Three Rangers registered mutli-hit games.

Both teams will now continue through the rest of the double-elimination Landmark Tournament, with Wilkes facing top-seeded hosts Moravian University on Friday, May 9 at 1:00 p.m.