Jersey City, NJ – A wild first inning the produced eight runs on just hits proved to be the catalyst for the Montclair State baseball team on Friday as the Red Hawks used that initial at bat for a 14-5 win over New Jersey City at the Thomas M. Gerrity Complex.

Senior outfielder MIKE TOLERICO drove in four runs as the Red Hawks (11-14, 5-6 NJAC) snapped a three-game losing streak while taking the first of the home-and-home series with the Gothic Knights (11-14, 3-8 NJAC).

The two teams will meet on Friday, April 17 at Yogi Berra Stadium at 3:30 pm.

The Red Hawks took advantage of three NJCU errors in the opening inning as it sent 12 batters to the plate. PHILIP SCOTT walked and RYAN LONG was hit by a pitch. Both runners moved up
on a sacrifice and the Knights elected to intentionally walk CHRISTOPHER REYNOLDS. But that moved backfired as Tolerico drew a walk on four pitches scoring the first run.

New Jersey City got the second out and seemed to minimize the damage a run as ANDERSON ROSA grounded a ball to shortstop the should have ended the inning. However the ball was misplayed allowing Long to score for a 2-0 lead. Defense would let the Knights down on the next two plays as a throwing error on a force play at second sailed away letting two more score and a dropped fly ball in outfield let KEVIN ALONSO score giving MSU a 6-0 lead. Scott added an RBI triple with Long adding a run-scoring single as the Red Hawks led by eight before the Gothic Knights came to bat.

HECTOR GONZALEZ and Alonso each drove in runs in the second extending the lead to 10-0 which grew to 13-0 the next inning on a two-run double by Tolerico and fielder's choice RBI by Alonso. NJCU would break the MSU scoring streak with a run in the third.

Tolerico drove in the final run in the seventh on a sacrifice fly.

Sophomore righthander DONALD CUSICK was the beneficiary of the offensive support as he picked up his first win of the season. Cusick went the first six innings allowing one run on two hits. He struck out four and walked two. Kevin DeMauro (1-3) went just 2 1/3 innings giving up 13 runs however only six were earned as the first-inning miscues by NJCU led to seven unearned runs in the game.

Reynolds and MATT LONG had two hit apiece for Montclair.