Little Falls, NJ – The Montclair State baseball team fell for the third time in the last four games as the Red Hawks were beaten by Rutgers-Newark, 5-4 at Yogi Berra Stadium on Friday afternoon.

Designated hitter ROB BOWNESS belted a two-run homer for the Red Hawks, who fell to 18-13-2 on the season, 10-5 in the NJAC.

The Scarlet Raiders (20-16, 10-6 NJAC) jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning before Montclair responded ot take the lead. ROBERT CLARK lofted a sacrifice fly in the second for the first run with Bowness blasting a two-run shot in the third for a 3-2 Montclair advantage.

The Raiders went back on top in the fourth and added another run in the fifth taking a 5-3 lead. Montclair State closed the gap in the seventh as MICHAEL NUNES delivered an RBI single however Rutgers-Newark was able to nail the tying run at the plate to remain in front.

MSU would get a chance to knot the contest in the eighth. SCOTT EVANGELIST collected a pinch-hit double to open the inning and pinch-runner THOMAS MEYER went to third on an infield single by Clark. Clark would steal second, however that would be it for MSU offensively as Raider pitching struck out the next two batters and got a ground out to end the inning.

Montclair would go down in order in the ninth.

James Cariello (2-1) got the victory for Rutgers-Newark as he went the first six innings allowing three runs and seven hits, striking out six and walking three. Senior righthander MICHAEL VICARO (2-3) took the loss despite striking out 11 batters in 8 1/3 innings.

The Red Hawks host Richard Stockton at home on Saturday, April 28.