Fort Myers , FL (3/13/07) – Freshman second baseman
MEGAN DURKIN ( West Orange, NJ/West Orange) drove in three runs as Montclair State downed Wheaton College (MA), 5-2 in the first of two games at the Gene Cusic Classic on Tuesday afternoon. In the second game, the Red Hawks were held to just one hit by Ashlee Nicholson in a 3-0 loss to Keene State (NH). MSU is now 4-2 on the season.
Durkin and freshman
AMANDA LIVSEY (Congers, NY/Clarkstown North) each had two hits as the Red Hawks overcame a 1-0 deficit to Wheaton. Trailing by a run in the top of the second inning, Montclair tied the game at 1-1 as
MEGAN TANTUM (Ewing, NJ/Ewing) reached on an error and
KELLY NANCE (Marlboro, NJ/Marlboro) walked before
MAUREEN SHOCKLEY (Magnolia, NJ/Triton) singled home Tantum. Durkin followed with a base hit to score Nance as MSU took the lead.
The Red Hawks extended the lead to 3-1 in the fourth. Tantum collected an infield single to lead off the inning and was sacrificed to second. After passed ball put Tantum on third, Durkin smacked a single to centerfield for the RBI. Montclair would scratch out their final two runs in the fifth as Tantum brought home one run on a fielder's choice and Durkin's third RBI gave the Red Hawks a 5-1 lead.
Junior righthander
CAROLYN MCCREA ( Wharton, NJ/ Jefferson Township) made the lead hold up as she picked up her second win of the year (2-1). McCrea allowed two runs and nine hits, striking out five and walking two. Audrey Poulton (0-1) took the loss for the Lyons.
Against Keene State, Nicholson allowed a first-inning single to
JENNIFER JIMENEZ ( Linden, NJ/ Linden) before retiring 10 consecutive batters before
KELLY KARP ( Edison, NJ/Edison) reached on an error to open the fifth.
Meanwhile, Keene got the only run it would need in the bottom half of the first as Amanda Foote walked with two out and went to second on Melissa Scata's single to center. Katie Allenson followed with another single to center, scoring Foote with the first run of the game.
Keene extended the lead to three runs in the second. Nicholson led off the inning with a hit and Allie D'Amato was hit by a pitch to put runners at first and second. After a strikeout, Jenna Patnode tripled to left field scoring both runners.
The Red Hawks return to action in the Gene Cusic Classic on Wednesday, March 14 as they take on Illinois College at 11:00 am followed by a 1:00 pm matchup with Ohio Wesleyan.
