Camden, NJ – Junior right-handed reliever
ANTHONY DEBLASIO picked up both victories while senior righthander
TAYLOR PARSONS saves both wins as Montclair State swept Rutgers-Camden in an NJAC doubleheader at Campbell's Field on Sunday afternoon.
Sophomore
KEVIN CAMPBELL delivered the go-ahead RBI in the 11
th inning as the Red Hawks (13-19) posted victories of 4-2 and 2-1 to remain in the hunt for the NJAC Tournament entering the last week. Montclair is currently tied for the final spot with William Paterson at 6-8 in league play. The Pioneers hold tiebreaker over MSU after capturing both meeting earlier this season.
Montclair State jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the top of the first inning of the opener.
MATT LONG drove in the first run with a fielder's choice with a second coming home on an error.
RYAN THIEME followed with an RBI double making the score 3-0 and a single by
JOE NORTON plated the final run.
That lead carried into the fifth inning when the Raptors (12-20, 3-11 NJAC) pushed across one run and had the bases loaded with two outs. DeBlasio came out of the pen and got the first hitter he faced to end the inning.
The righthander pitched into the eighth before giving way to Parsons, who went the final 1 2/3 innings for his fourth save of the season. DeBlasio (2-2) allowed four hits, one run and struck out one. Parsons struck out two.
Campbell and
JUSTIN EPIFANIO had two hits each for MSU, which collected 10 in the game.
The nightcap saw Rutgers-Camden take a 1-0 lead in the third inning as Jon Theckston brought home a run with a ground out. Raptor starter Jaylen Paula kept Montclair off the board until the sixth inning when
RYAN LONG tied the game with an RBI single that scored
SEBASTIAN SEVERIO.
Paula would go one more scoreless inning before the game was taken over by the bullpens. Righthander
MATTHEW LOPEZ pitched 2 2/3 innings, striking out two batters for MSU before DeBlasio entered again in the 10
th and retired all three hitters he faced.
Camden's Steven Bloyed was just as effective with three scoreless innings before Montclair State broke through in the 11
th with an unearned run.
RYAN LONG reached on an error with two outs and was at second base when Campbell singled to center field giving MSU a 2-1 lead.
Parsons nailed down the victory with a 1-2-3 bottom of the 10
th picking up his second save of the day, fifth of the season and 11
th of his career tying the Montclair State career record.
PHILIP SCOTT had two hits in the game for MSU. Freshman righthander
TYLER HIGGINS went 6 1/3 innings in his second career start scattering seven hits and allowing a run. Higgins struck out four.
The Red Hawks are back in action on Tuesday, April 25 with a road contest at York College of Pennsylvania beginning at 4:00 pm.