Auburndale, FL - The Montclair State baseball team erupted for 17 hits, including 10 extra-base knocks in a 20-3 win over Fredonia on Thursday afternoon in the RussMatt Invitational.

Montclair's attack was led by PHILIP SCOTT, who notched five RBIs with three hits, including two triples, and CHRIS ROTH, who was 2-5 with a grand slam and a triple. Four other Red Hawks had multi-hit games, while JOE FOOTE, IAN LYNCH and JUSTIN EPIFANIO also had RBIs. The game was decided after an eight-run seventh inning that forced the pre-agreed mercy rule into effect, which ends the game if a team leads by ten or more runs after the seventh inning. 

The game began with a four-run first inning highlighted by triples from Scott and Roth. MSU added three runs in both the second and third innings. Red Hawk starter SEAN LEWANDOSKI kept the Blue Devils off the board until the fourth, when Fredonia broke through with three runs. TYLER HIGGINS entered in relief and held Fredonia there for 2.2 innings. Roth's grand slam was the finishing touch on the offensive explosions of the sixth and seventh innings.

Higgins (1-0) earned the win in relief, his first. MARK LEYBLE also contributed a scoreless inning. Blue Devils starter Luke Kuczewski took the loss.

The Red Hawks are back in action on Saturday, March 11 with a doubleheader against Oswego State beginning at 9:00 pm.