Chandler, AZ - Senior catcher
JEFF MILLER (Wyckoff, NJ/Ramapo) homered and drove in three runs as Montclair State finished off its appearance in the Greater Phoenix Invitational with a 10-7 victory over North Park (IL) on Thursday afternoon.
Junior shortstop
JAMES SCELZO (Staten Island, NY/Petrides) had two hits and two RBI for the Red Hawks, who improved to 6-3 overall this season and 6-1 in their seven games in Arizona.
MSU jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning as
MICHAEL NUNES (Hazlet, NJ/Raritan) reached on an error to lead off the inning and went to second as
ROB BOWNESS (Sparta, NJ/Seton Hall Prep) drew a walk. A fielder's choice moved the runners up and both came around to score as Miller delivered a two-run triple.
ANDREW VICARO ( Randolph, NJ/Randolph) extended the lead to 3-0 in the third with an RBI single and Montclair tacked on four more runs in the fourth. Rob Clark ( Livingston, NJ/Seton Hall Prep) reached on an error and Tom Meyer ( West Milford, NJ/ West Milford) singled. After Clark stole third, Scelzo lined a double down the left field line to plate Clark for the fourth run. Nunes added and RBI single and Meyer scored on an error before Bowness accounted for the final run with a sacrifice fly as Montclair State led 7-0.
North Park got a run back in the top of the fifth, however Montclair answered with three more in its half of the inning, including Miller's second home run of the season which led off the frame.
LOU POLITAN ( Livingston, NJ/Livingston) doubled and later scored on a passed ball to make the score 9-1. Scelzo collected his second RBI on a base hit to account for the final run.
Sophomore righthander
CHRIS SCHINDLER ( Bayonne, NJ/ County Prep) picked up the victory in his first start of the season. Schindler (1-0) went the first seven innings allowing five runs and eight hits. He struck out four and walked three. Junior righthander
MARTY CABALAR ( Parsippany, NJ/Parsippany Hills) tossed the final two innings.
Miller (2-for-3), Meyer (2-for-3) and Scelzo (2-for-4) each had two hits for Montclair State, which had 10 in the game.
Montclair concludes its trip out West on Saturday, March 17 as they take on Chapman University at 4:00 pm EST. The Panthers and Red Hawks are currently ranked No. 2 and No.3, respectively in the Collegiate Baseball Preseason Top 30.
