Newark, NJ – Senior righthander TIM STRINGER struck out nine in a complete-game effort as Montclair State moved into the championship round of the NJAC Tournament with a 7-2 victory over Rowan at Bears & Eagles Riverfront Stadium on Sunday evening.

MICHAEL NUNES, ED KLOEPPING and ANDREW HIMMELFARB each had two RBI for the Red Hawks (26-15), who will take on Kean University at Noon on Monday, May 5 at Noon. Montclair needs to defeat the Cougars twice to claim the conference title and automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Baseball Championship.

Stringer evened his record at 5-5 on the season as he scattered seven hits and maneuvered his way around six walks. Anthony Cavalier (3-1) took the loss to the Profs (30-12).

MSU snapped a scoreless contest in the second with three runs. Stephen Piscatello led off with a single and went to second on a walk to Himmelfarb. KEVIN CUOZZI singled with one out to load the bases before Nunes plated two with a base hit to left field.  Catcher JEFF MILLER lofted a sacrifice fly giving the Red Hawks the 3-0 advantage.

Stringer shut down the Profs for the first five innings before allowing a run in the sixth.

Montclair State answered with two runs in the bottom of the seventh. Kloepping delivered a single back through the middle scoring LOU POLITAN. MSU then loaded the bases before Himmelfarb plated two with a base hit making the score 6-1.

Kloepping got the final RBI for MSU in the eighth as he doubled to right-centerfield scoring ROB BOWNESS, who reached on a two-out, two-base hit.

Bowness finished 3-for-5 with a pair of runs scored.