Montclair, NJ - The Montclair State baseball team out-hit 11th-ranked and fourth-seeded Kean Unviersity 7-6 however the Cougars posted the most important number scoring five times in a 5-0 victory over the Red Hawks in the opening round of the New Jersey Athletic Conference Baseball Championship at Yogi Berra Stadium on Tuesday. 

MSU (20-16), which had its four-game winning streak snapped, will face top-seeded Rutgers-Camden on Thursday, May 1 needing a victory to remain alive in the tournament. The game will take place at Campbell's Field in Camden, NJ at 3:30 pm. Rutgers-Camden, which swept MSU in a doubleheader in early April, defeated sixth-seeded William Paterson, 4-0 on Tuesday.

Junior pitcher Mike Daley (Somerville, NJ / Immaculata) scattered the seven hits in recording his third complete game of the season and second shutout as he improved to 7-1. He walked four and struck out three. Sophomore lefthander Michael Macchia (Middletown, NJ, Middletown North) took the loss for the Red Hawks as he fell to 4-2. Macchia went 7 2/3 innings allowing six hits and five runs (three earned) striking out two.

Kean, which will face Rowan in its next game on Thursday, got the only run it would eventually need in the first inning. Senior Tyler Smarslok (Jackson, NJ / Jackson Liberty) bounced a ball to second base that turned into a two-base error and went to third on a sacrifice by Ryan Reitmeyer (Lacey Township, NJ / Lacey Township). Matt Meleo (Jackson, NJ / Jackson Memorial) brought him home with a groundout giving the Cougars a 1-0 lead.

Kean added to its lead in the fourth with three runs. Meleo singled with one out and Andy Lopez (Jackson, NJ / Jackson Memorial) followed with a double before Joe O'Connor's (Wharton, NJ / Morris Hills) bunt single delivered Meleo for a 2-0 lead. Sal Taormina (Brooklyn, NY / Xaverian) added an RBI single and Nick Zucchero (Hamilton, NJ / Steinert) lofted a sac fly for the final run giving the Cougars a 4-0 advantage.

Montclair State mounted a threat in the sixth as Lou Martini (Flemington, NJ, North Hunterdon) singled and Philip Scott (Paulsboro, NJ, Paulsboro) doubled with two outs putting runners at second and third. But Daley got a ground ball to end the inning.

The Cougars added their final run in the ninth as Smarslok maneuvered his way around the bases. He led off with a single, went to second on a sacrifice and to third on a ground out before scoring on a passed ball.

Anderson Rosa (Perth Amboy, NJ, Perth Amboy) went 2-for-3 for Montclair State.