Wayne, NJ - The Montclair State baseball team pounded out 23 hits and got three RBI apiece from four different players as the Red Hawks snapped a two-game losing streak with a 16-9 victory over William Paterson at Pioneer Park on Friday afternoon.
JAY BIONDE (Pompton Plains, NJ / Pequannock),
ANDREW HIMMELFARB (Nyack, NY / Nyack),
SCOTT EVANGELIST (Northfield, NJ / Holy Spirit) and
MIKE ERCOLANO (Vernon, NJ / Vernon) drove in three runs apiece as the Red Hawks improved to 17-11 overall, 8-5 in the NJAC.
Montclair State got on the board in the top of the first inning with a leadoff single by Bionde. Walks by Himmelfarb and
KEVIN BOND (Cedar Grove, N.J./Cedar Grove) put runners on first and second for junior
MICHAEL BOGGI (Towaco, N.J./Montville), whose single scored Himmelfarb and gave the Red Hawks an early 1-0 lead.
After two quick outs to start the top of the second inning, a single up the middle by
MICKEY MCGRAW (Morristown, N.J./Morristown) and a walk by Bionde put the Red Hawks in position to score again. A stolen base by McGraw allowed him to score on a Himmelfarb single through the left side, making it a 2-0 score. William Paterson responded with a leadoff double by senior Miguel Lugo (Jersey City, N.J./St. Mary's), who then advanced to third base on a ground ball by Zac Rose (Nutley, N.J./St. Mary Rutherford). Mike Guadango doubled down the right-field line, plating Lugo. Montanile's single scored Guadango to make the score 3-2 in favor of the Red Hawks.
Back-to-back singles by Bionde and Himmelfarb led off the top of the fourth inning. Bond's single to left field plated Himmelfarb, giving the Red Hawks a 4-2 edge. The Pioneers responded during the home half of the same inning when a Matt Norton (Livingston, N.J./Livingston) single plated Andrue Laguerre (Jersey City, N.J./St. Benedict's Prep), who had reached base on a single to lead off the inning.
The Red Hawks exploded for five hits in the top of the fifth inning, starting with back-to-back singles by
MATTHEW MORENO (Park Ridge, N.J./Park Ridge) and
JASON CHESTERMAN (Bloomfield, N.J./Bloomfield), who moved to third and second, respectively, after an Ercolano sac bunt. Singles by Bionde and Himmelfarb along with a double by
SCOTT EVANGELIST (Northfield, N.J./Holy Spirit) plated three runs for Montclair State, giving the Red Hawks an 8-3 lead. Walks plagued the Pioneers in the top of the sixth inning, resulting in three runs, two of them plated on free passes given by the Pioneer pitching staff.
A seventh-inning double by Ercolano to right-center field plated Boggi, who had reached on a walk. Back-to-back singles by Montanile and senior James Gregory (Ramsey, N.J./Ramsey) led off the home half of the frame for the Pioneers. A walk by Laguerre loaded the bases for shortstop Rob Somers (West Long Branch, N.J./Shore Regional), who grounded into a double play, scoring Montanile and moving Gregory to third. A single by Norton knocked in Gregory, making the score 12-6 in favor of Montclair State.
The Pioneers wouldn't rest in the bottom of the eighth inning. Doubles by Rose and Guadango ignited the Pioneer bats, topped off by a two-run home run by Franco to cut the lead to 12-9. But, the Red Hawks plated four runs in the top of the ninth inning and extended their lead to 16-9.
Senior
JOHN MASKLEE (Totowa, N.J./Seton Hall Prep) tossed 7.0 innings, surrendering 15 hits and six runs (five earned) while striking out five Pioneers as the starter for Montclair State (4-3). Sophomore
MATTHEW RAGO (Berkley Heights, N.J./Gov. Livingston) threw 1.0 inning and allowed three earned runs on three Pioneer hits. Sophomore
GIOVANNI CARABALLO (Elizabeth, N.J./Elizabeth) tossed 1.0 inning in relief, facing three batters, striking out two.
Junior left-hander Ryan Steidl (Randolph, N.J./Morris Knolls) started the game for the Pioneers, lasting 2.2 innings and surrendering three earned runs on seven hits while walking three Red Hawks (2-3). Sophomore Dan Alcala (Totowa, N.J./Passaic Valley) threw 0.2 inning, giving up one earned run on four hits. Freshman Greg Baker (Clark, N.J./Arthur L. Johnson Regional) provided 1.1 innings in relief and allowed four earned runs on five hits. Sophomore Blake Crouch (River Edge, N.J./River Dell Regional) pitched 0.2 inning, surrendering three earned runs, three hits, and three walks. Sophomore Bryce Warden (West Milford, N.J./West Milford) tossed 2.2 innings, striking out two batters and surrendering one earned run on two hits, while Ryan VanderMay (West Caldwell, N.J./Seton Hall Prep) entered in the top of the ninth inning and allowed the final four runs of the game, striking out two batters.
Bionde was 4-for-5, while Himmelfarb was 3-for-5, scoring three times Evangelist also was 3-for-5 at the plate, collecting three RBI. Ercloano was 3-for-4 at the plate.
The Red Hawks return to action on Saturday, April 24 as the host No. 28 Kean University at Yogi Berra Stadium for a doubleheader beginning at 11:30 am.
