Montclair, NJ – Moravian College scored three times in the top of the eighth inning which proved to be the difference as the Greyhounds knocked off Montclair State, 7-5 in the Red Hawks' home opener at Yogi Berra Stadium on Thursday afternoon.

Junior designated hitter Christopher Reynolds (Randolph, NJ, Randolph) had three hits and an RBI for MSU (5-7), which had its two-game winning streak snapped with the loss.

Montclair State fell behind 4-0 as the Greyhounds (11-4) scored twice in both the first and second innings.  The Red Hawks got half of the deficit back in the bottom of the second. Reynolds and Anderson Rosa (Perth Amboy, NJ, Perth Amboy) opened the inning with singles.  A one-out walk to Juan Perdomo Jr. (South Brunswick, NJ, South Brunswick) loaded the bases before Keith Murphy (Point Pleasant, NJ, Point Pleasant Boro)lifted a sacrifice fly to right field scoring Rosa with the first MSU run. Junior Mike Tolerico (Wayne, NJ, Wayne Valley) made it a 4-2 game after he scampered home on and error.

The Red Hawks tied the game in the third. Senior shortstop Cody Pace (Milltown, NJ, Spotswood) doubled home Lou Martini (Flemington, NJ, North Hunterdon) and a one-out RBI single by Rosa, who had two hits, knotted the game at 4-4.

MSU took the lead in the bottom of the seventh. Pace reached on a fielder's choice before Reynolds tripled giving Montclair State its first lead of the contest. The Red Hawks had a chance for more however reliever Chris Soltys (Fair Lawn, NJ / Fair Lawn) struck out the next two hitters to end the inning.

The Montclair State lead would be short-lived as two batters into the eighth the Greyhounds tied the game 5-5 and an RBI single by Charles Savite (Hackettstown, NJ / West Morris Central) put Moravian back in front. Joey DiSarno (Berkeley Heights, NJ / Governor Livingston) added an RBI on a fielder's choice making the score 7-5.

Soltys made that hold up as he retired Montclair in order in the eighth and added two more to start the ninth. Pace doubled to keep MSU alive however Soltys fanned the final hitter to end the game.

Soltys earned the win, his third of the year (3-0) fanning five in recording the final eight outs. Junior reliever Anthony Altieri (Montville, NJ, Montville) took the loss for the MSU, his first decision of the year. Sophomore lefthander Michael Macchia (Middletown, NJ, Middletown North) went the first six innings allowing four runs (two earned) and six hits. He struck out five and walked four.

The Red Hawks return to action on Saturday, March 29 with their NJAC opener at Rutgers-Newark. First pitch of the conference doubleheader is scheduled for 11:30 am.