Post-Game Press Conference

Montclair, NJ - Junior righthander Alex Hill (Parsippany, NJ, Parsippany Hills) tossed a two-hitter while top-seeded Montclair State was able to scratch out a run in the top of the sixth inning as the Red Hawks edged No. 5 seed DeSales University, 1-0 in the NCAA Montclair Regional at the MSU Softball Stadium on Friday.

Junior second baseman Katie Muglia (South Plainfield, NJ, South Plainfield) scored the game-winning run as Montclair moved to 2-0 in the tournament. The Red Hawks (43-3) will face either No. 2 seed Susquehanna or third-seeded Virginia Wesleyan on Saturday, May 11.

DeSales (29-11-1), which got by No. 4 Kean 1-0 on Thursday, will now face No. 6 seed Roger Williams in an elimination game on Saturday.

Montclair and DeSales met in a doubleheader at the MSU Softball Stadium on April 21 with the Red Hawks posting a pair of one-run victories and today's contest would be no different as Hill and DeSales freshman DJ McCauley (Baker City, OR / Baker) hooked up in a pitcher's duel.

Hill held the Bulldogs hitless through the first five innings before giving up a leadoff double to McCauley in the sixth. Despite being no-hit, the DeSales actually had the best opportunity to put a run up. Julie Brugger (Bethelehem, PA / Liberty) was hit by a pitch to leadoff the bottom of the second inning and an error on a sacrifice put runners at first and second. Montclair would get a forced out a third on the next play, but the throw to first allowed the Bulldogs to put runners at the corners with one out.

Hill through came through with two clutch strikeouts as the game stayed scorless.

Montclair State had its best chance in the fourth as Jamie Paulino (Linden, NJ, Linden) led off with a triple against McCauley. But McCauley came through retiring the next three hittersto then the inning.

In the sixth Montclair managed to push across the decisive run. Muglia doubled to center with one out. After a pop up, Dana Amato (Hillsdale, NJ, Pascack Valley) grounded a ball to shortstop that couldn't be handled allowing Muglia to cross the plate giving MSU a 1-0 lead.

That lead would hold although the Bulldogs mounted a rally in the last of the seventh innin loading the bases with two out. But Hill induced a pop up in the infield to end the game as the Red Hawks advanced with the one-run victory.

Hill improved to 35-3 on the season as she tossed 16th shutout of the season. McCauley struck out three and gave up four hits in falling to 17-5.