Mahwah, NJ – Sophomore shortstop
KEVIN CUOZZI drove in four runs and
ANDREW VICARO belted his fourth home run of the season as Montclair State scored a season high for runs with a 24-7 win over Ramapo College in NJAC action on Monday.
The Red Hawks pounded out 17 hits as they won for the fifth time in their last six games, improving to 15-10-2, 8-3 in the NJAC. MSU defeated the Roadrunners for the second time this season and outscored Ramapo 44-9 in the two games.
The game was a makeup of rain postponement from Friday. In that game, Ramapo led 3-2 in the third inning before rain forced the game to be halted.
Played from its beginning, this time Montclair State struck first with two runs in its first at bat. MSU loaded the bases with two out before
DANNY RODRIGUEZ and
SCOTT EVANGELIST each drew a walk to force home the two runs.
MSU would build a nine-run lead with seven runs in the third. Cuozzi started things off with a two-run single and
MARC DECASTRO scored on an error.
BRIAN BUTLER would drill a three-run triple and came around to score the final run on an error as the Red Hawks took a 9-0 lead.
Ramapo got two runs back in the bottom of the third and the team traded runs in the fourth before MSU extended the lead in the sixth with four runs. Vicaro opened the inning with a solo home run to left and
MICHAEL NUNES drove in a run with a base hit before
LOU POLITAN capped off the frame with a two-run triple.
Montclair State, which had eight extra-base hits in the game, pushed across nine runs in the seventh. Jim Scelzo was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to score one run and Cuozzi delivered another with a fielder's choice. Nunes ded a two-run double and
MICHAEL OCEJO and
THOMAS MEYER both added a run batted in before
CHARLES GAGLIO drove in two runs with a single.
TIM STRINGER picked up the win to improve to 2-4. Stringer went four innings in his predetermined start allowing three hits and striking out five.
Cuozzi, Politan, Nunes, Evangelist,
ROB BOWNESS and Meyer each had two hits for Montclair State.
The Red Hawks return to action on Thursday, April 20 as they host FDU-Florham at Yogi Berra Stadium at 3:30 pm.
