Montclair, NJ – The Montclair State softball team, ranked fourth in Division III, closed out its non-conference schedule with a pair of one-run victories as the Red Hawks swept College of Staten Island, 3-2 and 5-4 at the MSU Softball Stadium on Thursday afternoon.

Left fielder Brooke Powers (Newton, NJ, Pope John XXIII) singled home the decisive run in the first game while senior catcher Alisha Cumberton (Toms River, NJ, Toms River East) provided the dramatics in the second game with a walk-off single as MSU outlasted the Dolphins twice to improve to 33-3 on the season.

A scoreless game in the opener through the first three innings, Staten Island broke through with a pair of unearned runs against MSU righthander Alex Hill (Parsippany, NJ, Parsippany Hills) as a pair of errors to open the inning put runners on first and second. Hill fanned the next two however Chyanne Gilliam lifted a fly ball to right the just eluded rightfielder Lauren Guillen (Secaucus, NJ, Secaucus) for a two-run double giving the Dolphins a 2-0 lead.

Held to two hits through the first four innings by righthander Jacqueline Cautela, Montclair got a run back in the fifth. Powers was hit by a pitch to open the inning and was sacrificed to second. Senior third baseman Dana Amato (Hillsdale, NJ, Pascack Valley) belted a double to left center scoring Powers making the score 2-1.

MSU's winning rally in the sixth would be helped along by a pair of errors by the Dolphins, including one on a grounder by Katie Muglia (South Plainfield, NJ, South Plainfield) to lead off the inning. After a sacrifice, Brianna Davidson (Monroe Township, NJ , Monroe Township) singled back through the middle scoring pinch-runner Alison Cullen (Branchburg, NJ, Immaculata) tying the game at 2-2. A second error allowed Guillen to reach which was followed by an RBI single from Powers putting Montclair in front by a run.

Staten Island (17-14) threatened in the seventh as Cautela came within inches of a home run as her fly ball to left field hit the top of the fence. She would settle for a double and went to third on a ground out. But Hill kept the runner their getting a pop up to Cullen at second base as Montclair captured the opener 3-2.

Hill got the victory improving to 21-2 on the season. She allowed six hits, struck out 10 and walked one. Cautela (11-6), who went 3-for-4 in the game at the plate, took the loss as she fanned six and walked two giving up five hits and three runs (two earned).

Gilliam finished 2-for-3 for CSI with Powers going 2-for-3 for Montclair State.

In the second game, Hill gave the Red Hawks a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning with a sacrifice fly that would be the only run of the game before the teams combined for eight runs in the final two innings.

The Dolphins tied the game in the sixth as Smith was hit by a pitch, stole second, went to third and scored on Tufano's infield single. Gilliam followed with a double to center putting CSI in front 2-1. Montclair responded quickly in the bottom of the inning as Amato doubled with one out and scored when Hill flared a ball into left center knotting the game at 2-2. Two batters later, junior first baseman Tara Petrucelli (Nutley, NJ, Nutley) blasted a two-run homer putting the Red Hawks back on top 4-2.

CSI refused to go away rallying with two outs in the seventh. Cautela singled in the infield before Smith lined a ball down the left field line that skipped away from the left fielder rolling all the way to the wall. Smith went around the bases and just beat the throw home for a two-run inside-the-park home run as the game was tied 4-4.

It took MSU four batters in the bottom of the inning to win the game. Pinch-hitter Dana Egan (Middletown, NJ, Middletown North) led off with a single and an error on Guillen's ground ball put runners on first and second. Powers singled back to the pitcher loading the bases before Cumberton blasted a single to centerfield scoring Jaclyn Allegretta (Hackensack, NJ, Hackensack) with the game-winning run.

Hill (22-2) picked up her second victory of the day going the final 1 2/3 innings. Cullen allowed five hits and struck out two in the first 5 1/3 innings. Victoria Procopio (5-6) took the loss.

Cumberton finished 2-for-3 for MSU while Smith was 3-for-3 at the plate for the Dolphins.

Montclair finishes out its regular-season slate on Saturday, April 26 hosting Rowan University at 1:00 pm. A sweep by MSU or a win and loss by William Paterson would give the Red Hawks the No. 1 seed in the NJAC Tournament which begins on Tuesday, April 29