Montclair, NJ – Freshman righthander MATT PICKUS pitched seven solid innings as Montclair State knocked off No. 4 Rowan University to earn a split of its NJAC doubleheader at Yogi Berra Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

Third baseman BRAD EDWARDS had three hits and an RBI as the Red Hawks (12-24, 3-14 NJAC) bounced back from a Game 1 loss for a 7-1 victory. Eric Schorr went 6-for-7 with a pair of RBI as the Profs (28-8, 14-3 NJAC) pounded out 24 hits in an 18-3 triumph.

Pickus (2-0) earned his second straight victory as he scattered five hits and gave up an unearned run, striking out six and walking three. Righthander Josh Silva finished off the game with two scoreless innings striking out five of the seven batters he faced.

The Red Hawks got on the board in the bottom of the first as JOE NORTON led off with a single and went to second on a base hit by KYLE FORCINI. Norton stole third and scored a NICK MARTINEZ bounced into a fielder's choice. 

MSU added to the lead in the second a DANIEL CLEMENTE scored on an error for a 2-0 advantage. Rowan trimmed that deficit in half in the fourth. Mitch Walker was hit by a pitch to open the inning, stole second and got to third on a single by Alex Kokos. A passed ball allowed Walker to score getting the Profs within 2-1.

Martinez drove in a run with a double in the fourth and a bases loaded walk to Norton in the fifth increased the lead to 4-1. Rowan had a golden opportunity to get back into the game in the sixth loading the bases with no one out. But Pickus got Kokos to pop up in the infield and then induced an inning-ending double play to end the threat.

Using the momentum from the big defensive play, the Red Hawks tacked on three runs in the bottom of the sixth. Edwards singled home the first run and DONALD GONNELLI walked with the bases loaded making the score 6-1. HAYDEN REYES singled in the infield for the final run.

Reyes, Norton and Forcini had two hits apiece for MSU.

In the opener, Rowan scored single runs in the third and fourth innings before exploding for six runs in the fifth. Nick Schooley had a two-run double to highlight the inning as Rowan led 8-0. Montclair answered with two runs in its half on an RBI single by Norton and fielder's choice RBI by Martinez. The Profs put the game away with three runs in the seventh and three more in the eighth for a 14-2 lead.

Justin Smith (3-1) got the victory as he went the first six innings giving up two runs and four hits with six strikeouts. Righthander MIKE CANNAVO (3-1) suffered the loss for MSU.

Norton collected two hits.

Montclair State closes out its season on Sunday, April 28 with one final home game. The Red Hawks host William Paterson University at Noon.