Montclair, NJ - Junior third baseman DANNY RODRIGUEZ went 4-for-5 and drove in a pair of runs as Montclair State knocked off Rutgers-Newark, 9-4, in New Jersey Athletic Conference baseball action on Thursday afternoon.

BRIAN BUTLER and ETHAN BOYD each had two hits and two runs batted in as the Red Hawks (12-19, 6-9 NJAC) snapped their two game losing streak. James Koehler was 3-for-4 for the Scarlet Raiders (16-16-2, 6-8 NJAC), who have dropped two straight.

MSU jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first as Rodriguez led off with a double and scored as Boyd delivered an RBI ground out. An error kept the inning alive and MATT BENEDETTI took advantage, smacking a run-scoring single through the right side. MSU added a run in the second for a 3-0 lead as Rodriguez had an RBI single.

Rutgers-Newark would climb back within a run as Bob Eberhard singled with one out in the third, stole second, and moved to third on a wild pitch. Dave Sica walked to put runners at the corners with two out. Sica was then picked off but managed to stay in the rundown long enough to allow Eberhard to score.

The Scarlet Raiders added one run in the fourth to make it 3-2, as John Farmer singled home a run, but Montclair responded with three runs in the bottom of the inning. Rodriguez singled down the left field line to plate one run and Butler laced a triple to right field for a 5-2 lead. Boyd then line a single to left scoring Butler with the final MSU run. The Red Hawks added to the lead in the sixth as Rodriguez scored on another triple by Butler, who then scored as the throw bounced into the Rutgers-Newark dugout. ED KLOEPPING singled to bring home Butler with the final MSU run.

After a 30-minute lightning delay in the top of the seventh, Rutgers-Newark threatened with two runs as Koehler and Paul Mercurio each had RBI singles. The Raiders then loaded the bases and looked to add more as Matt Haliigan lined a pitch up the middle. The ball tipped off the glove of MSU reliever MARTY CABALAR and flew into the air falling into the hands of shortstop KEVIN CUOZZI for the final out.

Freshman righthander TIM STRINGER picked up the victory as he went 6 2/3 innings before leaving during the delay. Stringer (2-2) allowed four runs and six hits with six strikeouts and five walks. Steve Rice took the loss. Rice surrendered six runs and eight hits in four innings. He walked three and fanned one.

Kloepping, TOMMY WARTH and Benedetti each had two hits as Montclair collected 17 in the game.

The Red Hawks close out their NJAC season on Friday, April 29 as they host William Paterson at 3:30 pm.