Little Falls, NJ – The Montclair State baseball team, ranked No. 2 in Division III, hadn't lost back-to-back games all season until Saturday and it happened at perhaps an inopportune time.

The top-seeded Red Hawks (34-6-1) were eliminated from the New Jersey Athletic Conference Tournament following an 12-7 loss to second-seeded Rowan University. That came just hours after Montclair dropped its tournament opener to No. 4 seed William Paterson, 7-5 in the completion of their rain-suspended game from Friday.

The two losses now put MSU in a precarious situation heading into Sunday's selection for the NCAA Division III Baseball Championship. Montclair will now be among the many teams vying for the five at-large berths for the national tournament which begins next week with regional play. The announcement is expected to be made early Monday morning.

Rowan first baseman Tim Staszewski went 5-for-5, homered and drove in four runs as the Profs (29-9) remained alive in the tournament. Rowan, the lone team in the NJAC to defeat MSU this season, made it two victories as it rapped out 16 hits in the game.

Sophomore shortstop BRIAN ELLERSON had two hits as he set the MSU record for the longest hitting streak in school history at 22 games, one more than Tony Scarlatelli in 1974. DAVE WURST was 2-for-2 with two runs scored and two RBI.

The Profs jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first as Andy Dougherty and Staszewski each collected RBI singles. Montclair State answered with two runs in its half. CRAIG CONWAY singled home Wurst with GEORGE GALLAGHER adding an RBI tying the game.

Rowan retook the lead in the second with six runs. Mike Dickson delivered two runs with a single before Staszewski blasted a three-run homer pushing the Profs to an 8-2 lead. The Red Hawks got two back in the second and climbed within 8-6 after four innings. JEFF SCHRIBER homered and Wurst singled in MARC HOUSER in the sixth.

The Profs tacked on a run in the in the seventh, and, after MSU plated a run in the eighth, scored twice in the ninth to put the game away.

Bryan Dillion (5-2) got the win in reliever as he allowed two runs and six hits in 4 1/3 innings, striking out three and walking one. Patrick Vengenock recorded the final four outs to register his first save of the season.

Junior lefthander SCOTT ALLAN (7-1) suffered his first loss of the season.