Union, NJ – Sophomore first baseman Alisha Cumberton (Toms River, NJ, Toms River East) blasted a pair of home runs while righthander Alex Hill (Parsippany, NJ, Parsippany Hills) tossed a one-hit shutout as top-seeded Montclair State rolled past eighth-seeded Baruch College 8-0 in the opening game of the NCAA Union, NJ Regional at Kean University's Cougar Softball Field on Thursday morning.

Sophomore third baseman Dana Amato (Hillsdale, NJ, Pascack Valley) had a two-run homer for the Red Hawks (39-7), who advance to Friday's action against the winner of the Alvernia/TCNJ matchup which is scheduled for 12:00 pm.  Baruch, the CUNYAC champion, will face the loser of that matchup on Friday at 10:00 am in an elimination game.

For the third time this season Montclair State got the best of the Bearcats (17-26) with all three wins coming by shutout. MSU defeated Baruch 8-0 and 2-0 at the MSU Softball Stadium on March 23.

Hill improved to 27-4 on the season with her 16th shutout of the season, extending her single-season record. The righthander struck out eight and walked one allowing just two batters to reach base. Hill retired the first 12 batters before giving up a leadoff walk in the fifth, only her 16 of the year. She would get the next two outs, however her no-hit bid was broken up as Courtney White singled off the fence in right field putting runners at second and third. Hill struck out the next batter end the threat.

At that point, Montclair State had already built a 5-0 lead. Hill delivered the first run helping her own cause with a two-out RBI single that scored Jamie Paulino (Linden, NJ, Linden), who had reached second on a one-out error.

Paulino would be in the middle of the next scoring inning as leading off the third with a single. Amato followed with a two-run blast, her eighth of the year, as Montclair State led 3-0. The Red Hawks added another two runs in the fourth as Katie Muglia (South Plainfield, NJ, South Plainfield) singled and came around the diamond on a sacrifice and two-base error for the fourth run. Paulino singled home Shannon Mozek (Wayne, NJ, Wayne Valley) as the Montclair lead widened to 5-0.

Cumberton led off the fifth inning with her first home run of the season and Stephanie Szeliga (South Plainfield, NJ, South Plainfield) doubled in another run giving MSU a seven-run cushion. Cumberton ended the game in the bottom of the sixth with a two-out solo shot for the 8-0 final.

Cumberton, Amato, Paulino and Muglia each finished with two hits for Montclair State.

Union, NJ Regional