Mahwah, NJ – For the third time in less than a week, Montclair State gave No. 21 Ramapo College all it could handle however for the third time the Roadrunners were just a run better as top-seeded Ramapo outlasted the No. 6 seed Red Hawks, 3-2 in nine innings in the opening round of the NJAC Tournament on Tuesday afternoon.
The loss sends the Red Hawks (22-17) into an elimination game on Friday, May 5 at Kean University in Union, NJ against fifth-seeded Stockton University. MSU split its regular-season meeting with the Ospreys on April 15 winning the first contest 6-0 before falling in the second game 4-2.
Montclair was looking to avenge 4-3 and 8-7 losses to Ramapo last Thursday and grabbed a 1-0 lead in the third inning. NJAC Rookie of the Week
KAYLEE POWERS singled to left with one out and stole second. A grounder got Powers to third before freshman
ELENA RADESICH singled in the infield for the game's first run.
Freshman righthander
KIARA RUIZ kept the Roadrunners (28-7) off the scoreboard retiring 12 of the first 14 hitters she faced through four innings. In the fifth, a base hit and a fielder's choice left Ramapo with one out and a runner at first. Jackie Howarth stepped in and launched a two-run homer giving the hosts a 2-1 lead.
The Red Hawks answered in the top of the sixth.
VALENTINA CUCCI led off with a single and pinch runner
BRYANNA LUCIANO got to second on a sacrifice.
BLAKE SAPERSTEIN singled to put runners at the corners and a double from
LIA STAMILE tied the game at 2-2. But Montclair couldn't add any more as Ramapo starter Erin Fitzsimmons fanned the next two batters keeping the game deadlocked at 2-2.
Neither team was able to get the go-ahead run across until the bottom of the ninth when Ramapo loaded the bases with no outs on two singles and a hit batter. MSU was able to cut down a runner on a fielder's choice for the first out, however Sisi Machinski singled into left giving the Roadrunners the victory.
Reliever Christina Brizek (7-2) got the victory for Ramapo, which faces Rowan on Friday. Brizek went the final three innings allowing three hits with two strikeouts and two walks. Ruiz (3-2) took the loss scattering seven hits in 8 1/3 innings. She struck out one and walked two.
Stamile was 3-for-4 at the plate for MSU. Radesich, Cucci and Saperstein had two hits apiece for Montclair State.
