Glassboro, NJ – Freshman third baseman Elena Raesich drove in the go-ahead run in the top of the seventh as Montclair State knocked off No. 6 Rowan University 3-2 in the nightcap of the NJAC opener for both teams on Sunday.
The Red Hawks bounced back from a 6-0 loss in Game 1 to improve to 10-8 on the year, 1-1 in the NJAC. Rowan is now 20-2 on the year (1-1 NJAC).
Rowan took a 2-0 lead after three innings as Nicole Paiotti doubled in a run in the second and Jesse DeDomenico had an RBI single in the third.
Montclair State would break through in the fifth mounting a rally with two outs. An error allowed
NOEL HODGINS to reach. Blake Saprerstein followed with a single and an error on the play allowed Hodgins to come all the way around cutting the deficit to 2-1.
VALENTINA CUCCI followed with a single down the left field line scoring Saperstein with the tying run.
Hodgins began the game-winning rally in the seventh with a leadoff single. She went to second on a sacrifice and to third after Cucci singled to left. Radesich then bounced a ball to shortstop that was mishandled with Hodgins crossing the plate giving the Red Hawks a 3-2 lead.
Rowan would threaten in the bottom of the seventh with back-to-back one-out base hits putting the tying and winning runs on. But freshman righthander
NICOLE MAJEWSKI got a pop up and line drive out on the next two hitters to end the game.
Majewski (3-2) got the victory as she threw 5 2/3 innings of relief allowing an unearned run and seven hits. She struck out one and walked one. Cucci was 3-for-4 while Hodgins and Saperstein had two hits apiece.
In the first game, DeDomenico scattered five hits while striking out five. The Profs plated a run in the first and second before a three-run homer by Paiotti in the fifth pushed the lead to 5-0.
Cucci (1-2) took the loss for the Red Hawks.
VICTORIA GEHRING and
KAYLEE POWERS collected two hits each.
Montclair State is back in action on Tuesday, April 4 on the road against another nationally-ranked team. The Red Hawks are in Union, NJ to face No. 13 Kean University at 3:00 pm.