Camden, NJ – Senior righthander Alex Hill (Parsippany, NJ, Parsippany Hills) pitched a four-hit shutout in the opener while senior Alisha Cumberton (Toms River, NJ, Toms River East) and junior Brooke Powers (Newton, NJ, Pope John XXIII) each homered in the second game as No. 3 Montclair State swept past Rutgers-Camden 4-0 and 2-1 on Saturday.

The Red Hawks (21-1) remained unbeaten in NJAC play at 6-0 while extending their winning streak to 17 games.

Hill (15-1) fired her ninth shutout in 12 starts this season as she struck out 11 and walked only one. Brittany Scott (10-4) suffered the loss as she too gave up only four hits however six Raptor errors in the game proved costly.

Montclair would get the only run Hill would need in the third and it came courtesy of Hill herself as she smacked a single to left field scoring Cumberton, who reached on a one-out walk. Hill would score the second run on an error as Montclair led 2-0.

MSU added to the lead in the fifth as a two-out error on a grounder by Dana Amato (Hillsdale, NJ, Pascack Valley) opened the door for the Red Hawks. Hill reached on an error putting runners at the corners before Melissa Rustemeyer (Colonia, NJ, Colonia) collected a single scoring Amato. The third error of the inning by the Raptors on the play allowed Hill to come around to score giving Montclair State the 4-0 lead.

Rutgers-Camden would put together a threat in the seventh with back-to-back singles to open the inning, but that was squashed as Hill, who finished 2-for-3 at the plate, fanned the next batter before inducing a game-ending double play.  

In the second game, Powers snapped a scoreless tie in the third with a two-out solo home run, her third of the season, giving MSU the one-run advantage. It would stay that way until the top of the sixth when Cumberton led off with her first home run of the year making the score 2-0.

Rutgers-Camden would get the run back in the bottom of the sixth. The Scarlet Raptors put two runners on before Hill entered the game. She walked the first hitter to load the bases but got the next batter to pop up for the first out. Katie Larson then lofted a fly ball to right field that would get the runner home however Cumberton nailed the runner attempting to take third for an inning-ending double play as Montclair stayed in front, 2-1.

Hill retired the side in order in the seventh to end the game. It was the fourth save of the year for Hill. Senior righthander Alison Cullen (Branchburg, NJ, Immaculata) picked up the win as she improved to 6-0.Cullen allowed two hits in five innings, striking out three and walking three.

Cumberton had two of MSU's six hits in the game.

Montclair State returns to action on Tuesday, April 8 as it hosts Ramapo College at the MSU Softball Stadium. First pitch of the NJAC doubleheader is scheduled for 3:00 pm.