Little Falls , NJ –  Junior LF BRIAN BUTLER batted 4-for-5 and drove in three runs and senior CF ETHAN BOYD finished 3-for-4 at the plate as the Montclair State University baseball team stayed alive for one of six New Jersey Athletic Conference tournament berths with an 11-5 victory today over local rival William Paterson University at Yogi Berra Stadium.

MSU improves to 13-19 overall and finishes 7-9 in NJAC play, while WPU falls to 16-16-2 on the year and 3-11 in the conference.

Eight Red Hawk batters recorded at least one hit as Montclair State pounded out 14 hits in all while scoring four runs in the second inning and adding three more in both the seventh and eighth frames.

Senior RF MATT BENEDETTI went 1-for-4 while scoring two runs and batting in three more, while freshman catcher MATT HARTWICK went 2-for-2 and scored twice. Sophomore RHP JAIRO MENDEZ picked up the win for MSU, scattering four hits, two earned runs and two walks over five innings against three strikeouts to improve to 3-8 this season.

MSU sophomore RHP RAY ANDERSON allowed just one hit over the next 3.1 innings, striking out five Pioneer batters before surrendering three runs in the ninth inning and giving way to junior RHP ALEX THOMPSON, who recorded the final two outs, including one strikeout.

William Paterson junior IF/P Doug Rader hit 2-for-4 and batted in two runs for the Pioneers, while freshman SS Dan Limone went 2-for-3 and scored two runs and junior LF Frank Muzikar finished 2-for-5 with an RBI.

Senior RHP Dan Sweeney took the loss for WPU, falling to 2-4 on the year after being tagged for seven hits, five earned runs and three walks over the first 5.2 innings against one strikeout.

The Red Hawks return to action on Sunday, May 1 as they host the Sea Gulls of Salisbury University at Yogi Berra Stadium. First pitch is scheduled for Noon and MSU will honor its six senior players prior to the game - Boyd, Benedetti, TOMMY WARTH, PAUL SAMMARCO, ROB BLACKBURN and PAT PISANO.