Glassboro, NJ – Sophomore designated player Melany Zeller (Bloomfield, NJ, Bloomfield) collected a pair of doubles and drove in three runs as second-seeded and third-ranked Montclair State knocked off No. 3 seed The College of New Jersey, 4-2 in the NJAC Softball Championship at Rowan University on Friday.

Junior righthander Alex Hill (Parsippany, NJ, Parsippany Hills) improved to 31-3 on the season as the Red Hawks moved to 2-0 in the tournament with their second consecutive 4-2 victory.

Montclair (39-3) now faces top-seeded Rowan on Saturday, May 4 at 10:00 am with the winner moving into the championship round on Sunday. The loser of the game will face the winner of the TCNJ-Kean contest at 2:00 pm. The winner of the NJAC Tournament receives and automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Softball Championship.

After playing a pair of extra-inning contests against each other on April 13, only seven innings was needed to decide a winner between the Lions and Red Hawks with MSU prevailing or the third time this year.

TCNJ collected the first run in the top of first inning.  Michelle Casale laid down a bunt single with one out and stole second before scoring on a two-out single by Jamie Purcell. MSU responded quickly with a run in its half of the inning. Centerfielder Jamie Paulino (Linden, NJ, Linden)walked with one out and Dana Amato (Hillsdale, NJ, Pascack Valley) singled to put runners a the corners. Tara Petrucelli (Nutley, NJ, Nutley) bounced into a fielder's choice scoring Paulino as Montclair State tied the game at 1-1.

The Red Hawks took the lead in the third inning with two runs.  Petrucelli singled back through the middle with one out and Alisha Cumberton (Toms River, NJ, Toms River East) followed with a base hit. After a fly out, Zeller came through with a clutch two-run double giving Montclair a 3-1 advantage.

The Lions (26-12) got a run back in the fourth. Lindsay Williams bunted her way on with a one-out single and scored as Nicole Brodbeck doubled to left center brining TCNJ within 3-2.  But Zeller came through again in the fifth with another RBI double as Montclair held its two-run advantage.

Hill protected that lead as she retired six of the final eight batters she faced. Hill upped her record to 31-3, one win shy of her own single-season mark set last season when she went 32-4. Hill allowed seven hits, struck out three and did not walk a batter. Lefthander Ashtin Helmer (Succasunna, NJ / Roxbury) took the loss (16-4).

Brodbeck and Liz Huttner each had two hits for TCNJ.