Montclair, NJ – Senior LIA STAMILE and junior ELENA RADESICH each belted home runs as Montclair State swept past Keene State at the MSU Softball Stadium on Saturday afternoon. The Red Hawks knocked off the Owls 11-3 in the first before completing the sweep with a 5-1 victory in the second contest.

Sophomore shortstop AMBER POWERS had five hits and drove in four runs on the day as Montclair (11-3) extended its winning streak to nine games.

The Owls (4-8) got the first run of the game in the top of the second taking advantage of an error. Stamile got that back in the bottom of the inning blasting a 2-2 pitch over the fence in left center, her third of the season. Emma Pede's RBI double in the third gave Keene State a 2-1 lead before Montclair erupted for five runs in the fourth.

Powers put the Red Hawks on top with a two-run single. Sister KAYLEE POWERS plated another with a single down the right field line with RBI singles by VALENTINA CUCCI and BLAKE SAPERSTEIN giving MSU a 6-2 lead. ALEXIS LAW drove in TAYLOR BROWN with a single in the fifth and an AMBER POWERS double extending the lead to 8-2.

Keene State got a run in the sixth however Montclair closed out the game in the bottom of the sixth with three runs. Radesich cracked the first pitch of the inning over the left field fence for her second of the year. Saperstein scored on an error with AMBER POWERS providing the final run on a base hit back up the middle.

Cucci earned the victory as she upped her record to 3-0 on the season. The righthander pitched the first four innings allowing five hits and two runs (one earned). Rightander KAYLA VOLANTE finished up giving up three hits and an unearned run in the final two innings.

AMBER POWERS finished 4-for-5 at the plate with KAYLEE POWERS, Radesich, Saperstein, Brown and Law each getting two in the Red Hawks' 17-hit attack.

Montclair snapped a scoreless second game in the fourth with two runs. Stamile came home on an error with an RBI ground out by Samantha DiClementi giving MSU a 2-0 lead. After the Owls scored in the top of the fifth, the Red Hawks answered in the bottom of the inning as Radesich lofted a sacrifice fly.

Keene State threatened in the sixth putting runners at first and second with one out. Freshman righthander ALYSSA BERNARDO came on and quelled the rally striking out the next two hitters to end the threat.  MSU used that momentum to add to the lead in its half. DiClementi singled in a run and later scored on an error for the 5-1 Montclair State advantage.

Righthander KIARA RUIZ (3-2) got the victory with Bernardo earning her second save of the year.                                         

Montclair returns to action on Sunday, March 24 hosting DeSales University at 1:00 pm.