Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 Montclair, NJ – Junior SAM DICLEMENTI belted a grand slam in the second game with KAYLEE POWERS and VICTORIA GEHRING each adding home runs as Montclair State earned a split of its NJAC doubleheader with No. 15 Kean University at the MSU Softball Stadium on Sunday.

AMBER POWERS and VALENTINA CUCCI each drove in two runs as the Red Hawks erupted for 17 hits in a 17-9 victory after dropping the first contest 6-4. Montclair is now 14-6 on the season, 2-2 in conference play. Kean is 17-3 overall, 3-1 in the NJAC after the split.

The Red Hawks were down 2-0 in the nightcap before tying the game in the second as Gehring legged out an inside-the-park home run. After the Cougars went back on top 4-2, Montclair took the lead back in the third. KAYLEE POWERS drilled a solo homer and Cucci doubled in another before an RBI ground out by BLAKE SAPERSTEIN gave MSU a 5-4 advantage.

Back came Kean in the fourth scoring three times to go up 7-5 however MSU knotted up the contest in the bottom of the inning as an error allowed two runs to score.

GABBY SLADE put the Red Hawks in front with an RBI single during a four-run uprising in the fifth. KAYLEE POWERS added an RBI single and AMBER POWERS followed with a two-run double making the score 11-7. Kean answered in the top of the sixth cutting the deficit to 11-9 and had the bases-loaded with one out. But freshman KAYLA VOLANTE came on ending the threat with a pop up and ground out.

MSU put the game away in its half, loading the bases with one out before DiClementi stepped to the plate and drilled a 2-1 pitch over the left field fence for the grand slam and a 15-9 lead. KAYLEE POWERS doubled in a run and ELENA RADESICH singled home the final run.

Cucci (3-0) got the victory in relief while Volante earned her first save of the season. Kaitlin Sthalbrand (6-2) took the loss for the Cougars.

KAYLEE POWERS, AMBER POWERS and Slade each had three hits for MSU with Radesich, Cucci and Gehring all notching two apiece.

In the opener, Kean scored five runs with two-outs in the second inning to take a 5-0 lead. MSU countered in its half as Radesich smacked a solo home run with RBI doubles by Saperstein and KAYLEE POWERS trimming the lead to 5-3. An error allowed the Cougars to tack on a run in the fourth. Montclair got the back in the sixth on an RBI double by ALANA LUNA.

MSU would get the tying run to the plate in the seventh with one out, however pitcher Jackie Riley quelled the threat with a strikeout and ground ball for the final outs.

Riley earned the win to improve to 6-1. Sophomore KIARA RUIZ (6-3) suffered the loss. KAYLEE POWERS and Saperstein registered two hits each for the Red Hawks.

Montclair State is next in action on Tuesday, April 10 on the road in Wayne, NJ as the Red Hawks take on local rival William Paterson University at 3:00 pm.