Port Charlotte, FL – KEITH MURPHY drove in six runs while CHRISTOPHER REYNOLDS added three RBI in an 18-8 victory over North Park University as the Montclair State baseball team earned a split of its games in the Snowbird Classic on Saturday. Earlier in the day, Montclair (2-6) fell to Baldwin Wallace 7-1.

MSU pounded out a season-high 22 hits as it posted its biggest offensive output in several years. The 18 runs were the most scored by Montclair since a 20-12 victory at John Carroll on March 27, 2012 and the 22 hits matched the same total the Red Hawks put up in a 14-0 win at Rutgers-Newark on April 13, 2012.

Montclair State grabbed a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning as Reynolds and Murphy collected back-to-back doubles. The advantage increased the 6-0 the next inning. HECTOR GONZALEZ doubled in a pair of runs with Reynolds adding a sacrifice fly for the fifth run. Murphy capped the inning with his second hit, an RBI single scoring Gonzalez.

The Vikings (5-4) clawed their way back into the game with three runs in the fourth and one in the fifth to pull within 6-4 before the Red Hawks broke open the game with a seven-run sixth inning.

RYAN LONG began the scoring barrage with an RBI double and Reynolds drew a walk with the bases loaded for an 8-4 lead. Murphy added two more with a run-scoring single and KYLE BANYARD made it 12-4 with a two-run double. Catcher RICH BURNER capped the big inning for the Red Hawks with RBI single scoring Banyard.

After North Park got a pair of runs back in the seven, MSU tacked on five runs in the ninth for the final margin. A pair of errors led to the first two runs and RYAN LONG had a sacrifice fly before Murphy capped his outstanding day with a two-run triple.

Every starter in the MSU line had a hit led by Murphy who went 5-for-6, the first five-hit game by an MSU player since Rob Bowness against Rutgers-Camden in April 2007. Burner went 4-for-5 as did MATT LONG with Reynolds collecting three hits in four at bats. RYAN LONG had two hits.

Sophomore lefthander JOSH FELIX earned the victory (1-0). Felix struck out three and gave up three runs and six hits in four innings.

Earlier in the day, the Red Hawks pounded out 13 hits but couldn't get a run across the board until the ninth inning. Murphy drove in that run with an RBI single.

Sophomore righthander DONALD CUSICK went the distance but suffered the loss. KEVIN ALONSO and Reynolds had three hits apiece while PHILIP SCOTT and Murphy each went 2-for-5.

The Red Hawks will conclude their nine-game trip in Florida on Sunday with a 6:00 pm night contest against Lancaster Bible.