Post-Game Press Conference
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Montclair, NJ – Senior righthander Alex Hill (Parsippany, NJ, Parsippany Hills) pitched a two-hit shutout with 10 strikeouts and Montclair State managed to scratch out a pair of runs in the sixth as the top-seeded Red Hawks captured the NCAA Division III Softball Montclair Regional with a 2-0 victory over Haverford College on Sunday afternoon.

The victory pushes Montclair State (39-6) into next weekend's NCAA Division III Super Regionals where it will meet NJAC rival Kean University in a best-of-three series beginning on Friday, May 16 with the winner advancing to the NCAA Division III Softball Championship in Tyler, Texas from May 22-27.

Hill, who was named the Most Outstanding Player of the Regional, collected her second shutout in as many days against the Fords (29-11) improving to 28-4 on the year. Hill struck out an MSU single-game record 19 hitters in an identical win against Haverford on Saturday and finished the tournament with 39 strikeouts raising her nation-leading total to 351.

Despite Hill's outstanding effort, Montclair found itself in a scoreless battle as Haverford lefthander Sara Tauriello matched Hill inning for inning until the sixth when the Red Hawks were able to break through on a pair of Haverford errors.

Junior leftfielder Brooke Powers (Newton, NJ, Pope John XXIII) led off the inning with a double to right center and went to third on a sacrifice by catcher Alisha Cumberton (Toms River, NJ, Toms River East). Senior third baseman Dana Amato (Hillsdale, NJ, Pascack Valley) then bounced a ball to first base that was fielded by Dayle Comerford. Amato slowed up forcing Comerford to make a tag up the line. Powers then broke for the plate and slid under the high throw giving MSU a 1-0 lead.Amato took second on the play and, after a fly out, came around with the second run as a grounder by Tara Petrucelli (Nutley, NJ, Nutley) was mishandled.

Haverford, which was making its second NCAA Tournament appearance and first since 2006, did manage to get the tying run to the plate in the seventh. Jen DiCandilo singled with one out, the Fords' first since the leadoff batter of the game, and went to second on a sacrifice. But Hill fanned the final batter looking sending the Red Hawks into the Super Regional.

Taureillo, who was named to the All-Tournament Team, took the loss falling to 12-2. The lefty went the first 5 2/3 innings allowing four hits and the two unearned runs. She struck out seven and did not walk a batter.

Amato, Petrucelli, Brianna Davidson (Monroe Township, NJ , Monroe Township) and Jaclyn Allegretta (Hackensack, NJ, Hackensack) joined Hill on the All-Tournament Team with Haverford being represented by Taureillo, Lauren Touey and Jill Schnall. Wheaton College's Allison Brillon and Farmingdale State's Andrea Klarman rounded out the All-Tournament Team.