Chandler, AZ – Senior catcher
JEFF MILLER (Wyckoff, NJ/Ramapo) drove in three runs in the first game while junior backstop
MATT HARTWICK (Ringwood, NJ/Lakeland Regional) had two RBI in the second as Montclair State split at pair of games at the Greater Phoenix Invitational on Wednesday evening.
The Red Hawks (5-3) ran their winning streak to five with a 14-2 victory over Springfield College in the opener. Andrew Ziegler allowed just five hits and three runs over eight innings while Zach Lutz drove in six runs as Alvernia College snapped MSU's win streak with a 13-3 victory. The Crusaders gained a measure of revenge against Montclair as MSU eliminated Alvernia from the NCAA Boyertown Regional last season.
MSU took a 2-0 lead in the first inning against Springfield as Miller belted his first home run of the year, a two-run shot. After the Pride tied the game in bottom of the second, Montclair scored seven times in the third to break the contest open. The Red Hawks managed just three hits but took advantage of seven walks. MSU loaded the bases with two out and brought home the first run as Tom Meyer ( West Milford, NJ/ West Milford) singled.
MARC PALESTINA ( Paramus, NJ/Paramus) delivered a two-run single to make the score 5-2 and
JOSEPH ZEMBRYSKI (Rutherford, NJ/St. Peter's Prep) walked to force in another run.
MICHAEL FRANK ( Belleville, NJ/ Belleville) also drew a walk for an RBI and
SCOTT EVANGELIST ( Northfield, NJ/Holy Spirit) collected one of his own for the sixth run of the frame. Miller received the fourth straight bases on balls to score Zembryski with the final run of the inning.
Zembryski and Meyer each registered RBIs later in the game and Evangelist tripled home a run as Montclair pounded out 16 hits in the game. Meyer was 4-for-5 while Palestina, Zembryski and Evangelist each had two hits.
Junior lefthander
ENRIQUE GOMEZ (Edison, NJ/St. Joseph's) picked up the victory as he went the first five innings allowing two runs and seven hits, striking out three and walking none. Freshman
COLIN PEARE (Whitehouse Station, NJ/Hunterdon Central) and
CJ FLEMING ( Dobbs Ferry, NY/Dobbs Ferry) each pitched two scoreless innings to close out the contest.
Against Alvernia, Hartwick gave Montclair a 1-0 lead in the second as he drove in a run with a ground out. However, the Crusaders would take the lead with two in the top of the third inning and pushed the lead to 6-1 in the fifth. Montclair would get within 6-3 in the seventh inning as Hartwick and Meyer each had RBIs. But Alvernia put the game away with six runs in the eighth.
ROB BOWNESS ( Sparta, NJ/Seton Hall Prep) had two of the Red Hawks' five hits in the game.
Montclair concludes it Arizona portion of the schedule on Thursday, March 15 as the Red Hawks take on North Park (IL) at 1:00 pm EST.
