Salisbury, MD – Senior leftfielder
BRIAN BUTLER (right) singled home two runs to cap off an eight-run ninth inning as Montclair State stunned No. 30 Salisbury University, 9-2 in the Tri-State Tournament on Sunday afternoon.
SCOTT EVANGELIST and
MICHAEL NUNES each had two hits for the Red Hawks, who are off to a 2-0 start for the first time since the 2002 season.
Trailing 2-1 and down to their last three outs, Montclair sent 11 hitters to the plate, scoring eight runs on six hits while taking advantage of three Salisbury errors. Nunes singled to lead off the inning and after a strikeout,
ANDREW VICARO reached on an error.
ROB BOWNESS then delivered and RBI single to tie the game at 2-2. Pinch-hitter
MATT HARTWICK then drew a walk to load the bases and Vicaro came in to score on another error.
ROBERT CLARK worked out a walk to reload the bases and
MARC DECASTRO's grounder was misplayed allowing Bowness to score for a 4-2 lead.
JAMES SCELZO,
Evangelist and Nunes each added RBI singles to extend the MSU advantage to 7-2 before Butler capped off the inning with a two-run single to left.
ALEX THOMPSON (1-0) picked up the victory as he recorded the final four outs, including the side in order in the bottom of the ninth.
Before the scoring ourburst, the Red Hawks got solid pitching from sophomore righthander
TIM STRINGER, who went five innings allowing three hits and a run with four strikeouts. Senior righthander
MICHAEL VICARO struck out four batters in two innings and
ENRIQUE GOMEZ retired the only two batters he faced before Thompson came on the pick up the win.MSU trailed 1-0 after five innings, but tied the game in its half of the sixth.
Evangelist singled with one out and Nunes hit what appeared to be an inning-ending double play. However, the throw to first got away putting Nunes at second with two outs. Butler then slapped a single to left, scoring Nunes.
Salisbury would regain the lead in the seventh as Greg Lemon singled home a run with two outs.
Montclair State is now off until Saturday, March 11 when it begins a seven-day, nine-game West Coast trip in California. The Red Hawks open the trip at Chapman University at 4:30 pm (Eastern Time).
