Jersey City, NJ - Montclair State University scored six runs in the top of the third inning to take the lead for good, and added five runs in the ninth as the Red Hawks defeated the Gothic Knights 13-2 in a New Jersey Athletic Conference baseball action Thursday afternoon.

Montclair State wins its fourth consecutive game to improve to 17-8 overall and 8-2 in the league, and will remain at worst in a tie for third place in the conference playoff race. NJCU, which defeated MSU in the first meeting between the schools on April 8, 10-8, falls to 12-15 and 1-10 NJAC.

MSU was led by sophomore third baseman DANNY RODRIGUEZ (Monmouth, NJ/South Brunswick), who finished with three RBIs, two runs and a triple in a 2-for-5 outing, while sophomore second baseman MARC DECASTRO (Haddon Heights, NJ/Pope Paul VI) scored three times. Senior shortstop P.J. BACCARELLA (Bayonne, NJ/Bayonne) scored twice, while freshman leftfielder Greg D'Alessandro (Verona, NJ/Verona) drove in two runs, including a sac fly, without making an official at bat in the game. In all, 20 Red Hawks saw action, including senior pitcher JEFF GOGAL (Kearny, NJ/Kearny), who pinch hit in the ninth and laced a long double in his first collegiate at bat.

Sophomore right-hander JAY COOK (Westfield, NJ/Westfield) earned the victory for MSU (2-0), allowing two earned runs and seven hits with six strikeouts and one walk in six innings of work. Three Montclair relievers each tossed an inning, and allowed just one hit the rest of the way, with three K's.

Senior catcher Steve Stiller(North Arlington, NJ/North Arlington) went 2-for-4 and had a first-inning RBI single that gave NJCU an initial 1-0 lead. The RBI was his team-leading 30th of the season after have 12 last season. Senior center-fielder Patrick Moore (North Arlington, NJ/North Arlington) was 2-for-3 with one run. NJCU managed eight hits as a team, but left seven players stranded, and did not tally an extra-base hit. Junior right-hander Darlyn Pena (Union City, NJ/Union Hill) suffered the loss. In seven innings he allowed only two earned runs, but seven in total as the Gothic Knight defense, which turned three double plays, also committed six costly errors. Pena also allowed seven hits with three K's and four walks to fall to 0-5 overall.

NJCU committed four errors in the third inning alone when MSU scored six runs on just three hits as 11 came to the plate. Sophomore center fielder MIKE HALLIGAN (Pompton Plains, NJ/Seton Hall Prep), junior right fielder ETHAN BOYD (Perth Amboy, NJ/Perth Amboy) and senior first baseman/shortstop MIKE WEISS (Mt. Laurel, NJ/Lenape Regional) each had RBI doubles to left field in the decisive inning. MSU also tacked on single runs in the seventh and eighth innings off the NJCU bullpen before finishing with the five runs in the ninth. NJCU added a run in the sixth.