Tempe, AZ - The Montclair State University baseball team was held scoreless in the first and ninth innings, but scored in each frame in between to defeat University of Massachusetts Boston, 13-8, today at Tempe High School in the Greater Phoenix Invitational in Tempe, AZ. The Beacons fall to 1-5 on the season, while the Red Hawks improve to 2-5.

The hits were even for each team at 11 apiece, but Montclair State took advantage of 10 free passes issued on the day.

The Red Hawks took a 4-0 lead in the top of the second inning, while working six bases on balls and receiving a two-run double to left field by junior third baseman STEPHEN PISCITELLO (Hauppague, NY / Hauppague) to highlight the frame. UMass Boston got one back in the bottom of the inning when freshman catcher Timothy Fontaine (Worcester, MA) smacked a one-out double to left field, moved to third on a balk and scored on a ground out to shortstop by freshman shortstop Ryan Walsh (Newton, MA) to make it 4-1. Montclair State answered with a run of its own in the top of the third, thanks to an RBI groundout from senior right fielder Rob Clark (Livingston, NJ / Seton Hall Prep) to take a 5-1 margin.

The Red Hawks increased their lead to 8-1 in the fourth with three runs, highlighted by a run forced in when Piscitello was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, a sacrifice fly to right field off the bat of senior catcher JEFF MILLER (Wyckoff, NJ / Ramapo)  and an RBI single to center field by senior first baseman LOU POLITAN (Livingston, NJ / Livingston) . The Beacons made good use of the long ball in the bottom of the inning when junior catcher Eric Salvador (Middleboro, MA) belted a home run to left field, to lead off the inning for his first homer of the season, and junior first baseman Danny Arenas (Fort Lauderdale, FL) blasted a two-out two-run shot to left center field to pull UMB to within 8-4.

Montclair State tacked on single runs in the fifth and sixth innings when senior center fielder MICHAEL NUNES (Hazlet, NJ / Raritan) singled to right field, stole second base and came around to score on a single to left field by graduate student ROB BOWNESS (Sparta, NJ / Seton Hall Prep) . Miller cracked a one-out double in the sixth and later came around to score on a balk to give the Red Hawks a 10-4 advantage.

The Beacons cut the deficit to 10-7 in the bottom of the sixth when junior third baseman Stephen Garcia (Chelsea, MA) drew a walk, advanced to second on a passed ball and later scored on a one-out double down the left field line by Walsh, who walked home when Arenas followed with his second homer of the game, down the left field line.

Montclair State put up another run in the seventh when sophomore pinch-hitter JOSEPH ZEMBRYSKI (Rutherford, NJ / St/ Peter's Prep)came through with a solo homer to center field to give MSU an 11-7 lead. The Red Hawks added two more runs in the eighth when senior right fielder Vincente Medina (North Bergen, NJ / Paramus Catholic) opened the frame with a walk, advanced to second on a wild pitch and scored on a double down the left field line by freshman catcher MIKE ERCOLANO (Vernon, NJ / Vernon Township), who had come into the game as a defensive replacement. Junior JASON LOPEZ (West New York, NJ / Memorial) and Clark then followed with singles to load the bases and set up a sacrifice fly to center field by freshman JAY BIONDE (Pompton Plains, NJ / Pequannock) to cap the scoring for Montclair State and give it a 13-7 lead. UMass Boston rallied for a final run in the ninth when junior right fielder Tom Michael (Manchester, NH) tripled to right field and scampered home on junior pinch-hitter Charlie Peters' (Burbank, CA) first collegiate hit to center field and pull UMB to within 13-8, but that would be all.

Graduate student D.J. CUNNINGHAM (Florham Park, NJ / Hanover Park) earned the victory for MSU, going five and two-thirds innings, while allowing seven runs on eight hits and two walks, while striking out five. Freshman right-hander Rich Balgowan ( Hamilton, NJ) suffered the loss for UMass Boston, lasting one and two-thirds innings and giving up four runs on six walks and no hits, while fanning two batters.

Politan was 2-3 with a walk, a run scored and an RBI for Montclair State, while Arenas knocked in four runs, going 2-3 with a walk and two runs for the Beacons. Salvador and junior center fielder Jake Chastain ( Northfield, MA) each collected two hits for UMB as well.