Little Falls, NJ – Senior third baseman DANNY RODRIGUEZ scored ona wild pitch with two outs in the bottom of the ninth as Montclair State recorded its third straight win as the Red Hawks edged York College (PA), 6-5 in NCAA Division III Baseball action at Yogi Berra Stadium on Tuesday afternoon.

ANDREW VICARO had two hits and two RBI for Montclair State which improved to 22-13-1 on the season. MSU, which won a game in its final at bat for the second consecutive contest, also defeated the Spartans for the second time this season pairing this win with a 2-1 victory in Pennsylvania back on March 28. In that game, a dropped fly ball allowed both Montclair runs to score.

Jeff Young had three hits and an RBI for York (24-13-1), which had its five-game winning streak snapped.

Rodriguez, who finished 2-for-5, doubled down the left field line to open the ninth inning and moved to third as Rob Clark laid down a sacrifice bunt. The Spartans then intentionally walked ROB BOWNESS to put runners at the corners, brining up Vicaro,who had tripled twice in the game already. Reliever Billy Krapf would get Vicaro to swing at a third strike, however, the ball hit the dirt and bounced to the backstop allowing Rodriguez to easily scamper home with the winning run.

Montclair reliever RAY ANDERSON picked up the win as he went the final three innings allowing six hits and three runs, one earned, striking out four and walking one. Krapf took the loss falling to 1-1.

Anderson inherited a 5-2 lead, but ran into trouble in the eighth as Mike Welch doubled and Dennis Maxim walked before Justin Heller laid down a bunt single to load the bases. Anderson would strikeout the next hitter, but Eric Velez' grounder was misplayed allowing Welch to score. Chad Hockenjos then lofted sacrifice fly to make the score 5-4 and Young's two-out RBI single brough thome Heller with the tying run. The Spartans would load the bases in the ninth however Anderson escaped the jam by getting a groundball out.

York took a 1-0 lead in the fourth as Maxim singled, went to second on an errant pickoff throw, moved to third on a wild pitch and scored as Heller singled up the middle. The Red Hawks would bounce back in the bottom of the inning as Bowness drew a leadoff walk and scored as Vicaro tripled to centerfield. Vicaro would also score on the play as the throw attempt to third base got away giving Montclair a 2-1 lead.

The Spartans would tie the game in top of the fifth as another error allowed Young to score. Montclair countered with three in their half of the inning. MICHAEL NUNES doubled and Rodriguez singled. Clark brought home Nunes with a sacrifice fly and after Rodrgieuz stole second, Vicaro tripled to right giving Montclair at 4-2 lead. LOU POLITAN brought in the third run with an RBI single.

TIM STRINGER started for the Red Hawks and went the first six innings allowing seven hits and two runs (one earned) with four strikeouts and three walks. Matt Gonzalez got the start forYork and went three innings giving up two hits with a strikeou tand two walks.

Heller was 3-for-5 for York, which outhit Montclair State, 13-10. Welch had two hits for the Spartans while Politan and MARC DECASTRO had two hits apiece for the Red Hawks.

The Red Hawks return to action tomorrow afternoon as they host fifth-seeded Rowan University in the 2006 NJAC Baseball Tournament at Yogi Berra Stadium. Montclair is the No. 2 seed and first pitch of the opening round contest isscheduled for 3:30 pm. York will begin a weekend series with Bridgewater(VA) on Saturday, May 6 in Bridgewater.