Claremont, CA – Junior catcher ANDREW VICARO belted a three-run homer while MARC DECASTRO and JAMES SCELZO each drove in two runs as Montclair State jumped out to an early lead before holding off Wisconsin-Lacrosse, 13-11 at Claremont-Mudd Scripps College on Thursday afternoon.

LOU POLITAN and THOMAS MEYER each had three hits for the Red Hawks, who evened their record at 3-3-1 overall and 1-3-1 on their nine-game West Coast swing.

MSU, which pounded out 17 hits in the game, raced out to a 5-0 lead after the first three innings. Vicaro singled home a run in the first inning and Scelzo delivered the second with a RBI ground out. Montclair added three more in the third. MICHAEL NUNES reached on a fielder's choice and BRIAN BUTLER walked before Vicaro launched his first home run of the season over the left field fence.

After LaCrosse got a run back in the fourth, Montclair State tacked on six runs in the top of the fifth inning. DeCastro brought home two runs with a single and Scelzo added an RBI base hit to make the score 8-0. Meyer and Butler each singled home a run and JOHN JEDINY capped off the inning with a RBI single as the Red Hawks built an 11-1 advantage.

Wisconsin-LaCrosse did not got quietly as they erupted for eight runs in the bottom half of the eighth inning to close to within 11-9. MSU pushed the lead back to four with two runs in the ninth. Scott Evanglist and CHARLES GAGLIO each drove in runs.

In the ninth, UW would threaten against scoring twice and bringing the tying run to the plate, however, ENRIQUE GOMEZ worked out the jam to preserve the win for MSU.

NICK RECCHIA (1-1) picked up the victory. Recchia went the first 6 1/3 innings allowing one run and five hits. He struck out five and walked one.

Vicaro was 2-for-3 with four RBI while Politan was 3-for-4. Meyer finished 3-for-5 with three runs scored. Butler and DeCastro had two hits apiece.