Wayne, NJ – Paraphrasing the biblical saying, the sixth inning giveth and taketh away for the Montclair State softball team in the New Jersey Athletic Conference Tournament at William Paterson on Saturday. The second-seeded Red Hawks scored six times in the bottom of the sixth to remain alive with a 6-1 win over Rutgers-Camden early in the day before a three-run home run in the bottom of the sixth by Kean's Kelly Moorehead eliminated MSU, 3-2.
Montclair (36-6) now waits for the NCAA Division III selection show which will air on Monday, May 5 at 10:00 am on
NCAA.com. The Red Hawks were ranked first in the East Region heading into the conference tournament. Fourth-seeded Kean and third-seeded Rowan will battle for the NJAC championship on Sunday.
In the morning contest against Rutgers-Camden, MSU was held to four hits by Scarlet Raptor pitcher Brittany Scott and trailed 1-0 before scoring six times on seven hits. Juniors
Tara Petrucelli (Nutley, NJ, Nutley) and
Melany Zeller (Bloomfield, NJ, Bloomfield) collected back-to-back singles and a wild pitch moved pinch runner
Sam Camacho (Jersey City, NJ, County Prep)to third. Senior second baseman
Katie Muglia (South Plainfield, NJ, South Plainfield) followed with a RBI single knotting the score at 1-1.
Brianna Davidson (Monroe Township, NJ , Monroe Township) loaded the bases with a single and pinch hitter
Dana Egan (Middletown, NJ, Middletown North) put Montclair in front with a ground out. Leftfielder
Brooke Powers (Newton, NJ, Pope John XXIII) followed with a two-run single making the score 4-1 and two batters later,
Alex Hill (Parsippany, NJ, Parsippany Hills) singled to center plating two more as Montclair led 6-1.
That proved to be more than enough for Hill, who struck out the side in the seventh to advance MSU in the tournament. Hill improved to 25-3 as she allowed five hits, struck out 12 and walked 2.
Dana Amato (Hillsdale, NJ, Pascack Valley) went 3-for-4 for MSU while Powers finished with two as Montclair collected 11 hits in the game.
The win set up a rematch with Kean with Montclair looking to avenge its 3-2 loss against the Cougars on Friday.
And for the second straight time, MSU grabbed a 1-0 lead as
Alisha Cumberton (Toms River, NJ, Toms River East) singled with one out and went to second on a walk to Amato. After a fly out, Petrucelli singled in the infield with Cumberton scoring on the play for a 1-0 MSU lead.
Hill made that hold up through the first five innings allowing just three hits before Montclair added a run in the top of the sixth. Amato walked and Petrucelli reached on a throwing error putting runners at first and second. Muglia smacked a singled to left scoring Amato giving the Red Hawks a 2-0 advantage.
In the bottom of the inning the Cougars rallied. Megan Cegielski led off with a double but was thrown out trying to stretch it into a triple. A fielding error allowed Emily Sabo to reach and Sandra Binkiewicz was hit by a pitch. Courtney Yard flied out to center for the second out however Moorehead rescued the Kean with a three-run homer to left center putting Kean in front 3-2.
Montclair State would get the tying run on the in the seventh as Cumberton singled with two out but Sabo made a leaping catch of Amato's line drive to end the game.
Hill fell to 25-4 as she struck out nine. Three of Hill's losses this season have come to the Cougars – all by one run. The 21 strikeouts by Hill on Saturday pushed her over the 300 mark for the third consecutive season.
