Fredericksburg, VA – Junior left fielder Nick Martinez went 2-for-4 and drove in four runs in his Montclair State debut as the Red Hawks rallied in the ninth and scored twice in the 11
th inning for a 6-4 victory over Mary Washington University on Saturday afternoon.
Sophomore third baseman
JOE NORTON had two hits, an RBI and scored three times as MSU plated to runs in the ninth to force extra innings in the first of a four-game season-opening weekend series with the Eagles (1-1).
Scoreless through the first three innings, MSU broke the tie in the fourth with two runs.
JUSTIN EPIFANIO led off with a bunt single and went to second as
JUSTIN BATES walked. After a strikeout and fielder's choice,
HAYDEN REYES walked to load the bases. Martinez then came through with a two-run single giving Montclair a 2-0 lead.
Mary Washington tied the game in its half of the fourth and then took the lead in the sixth on a two-run single by Garrett Lyons.
Norton got the ninth-inning rally started with an infield single and Reyes was hit by a pitch. Both runners moved up on a passed ball before Martinez delivered a single to left that scored Norton and sent Reyes to third. Martinez would steal second before
IAN LYNCH lofted a sacrifice fly knotting the game at 4-4.
In the 11
th,
CONNOR KELLY singled in the infield and stole second. Norton brought him home with a single to center giving the Red Hawks the lead. After an error allowed Reyes to reach, Martinez lifted a sac fly to right scoring Norton as Montclair was up 6-4.
Senior righthander
AUSTIN MINTON made that lead hold up retiring the side in order in the ninth to preserve the win.
The ninth-inning rally made a righthander
MICHAEL MATARAZZO a winner. Matarazzo pitched three scoreless innings allowing two hits with a walk and strikeout. Senior righthander
CONNOR LINDSAY struck out five and gave up five hits and two runs in five innings in his first start of the season.
Epifanio had two hit for the Red Hawks.
The two teams will play a doubleheader on Saturday, February 24 at 1:00 pm followed by a 1:00 pm contest on Sunday, February 25.