Ewing, NJ – Junior VALENTINA CUCCI did it with her arm and her bat as Montclair State remained alive in the NJAC Softball Championship with a 6-1 victory over No. 6 seed Stockton University on Friday.

Cucci tossed a complete game and also went 3-for-3 with a homer and two RBI as the Red Hawks (29-13) advance to Saturday's Game No. 8 at Noon against an opponent to be determined. Freshman second baseman TAYLOR BROWN had two hits and two RBI for MSU, which took two of three against the Ospreys (22-20) this season.

Cucci scattered seven hits and walked two as she improved to 9-4 on the season. Victoria Torp (7-12) took the loss for Stockton after allowing five runs and nine hit in five innings.

Cucci got all the offensive support she needed in the second as she led off with a base hit. Two batters later ELENA RADESICH singled to put runners at first and second. The next hitter lined out however Brown came through with a clutch hit, a two-run triple down the right field line giving Montclair a 2-0 lead.

Cucci helped her own cause in the third with a two-out, two-run homer over the left field fence, her fourth of the season extending the Red Hawks' advantage to 4-0. SAM DICLEMENTI increased the lead to five with an RBI single in the fifth with KAYLEE POWERS recording the final Montclair run on a sacrifice fly in the sixth.

In the meantime, Cucci was able to work her way out of any potential threat by the Ospreys and got help from her defense as well with MSU turning in an inning-ending double play in the first on a fly ball to right with Stamile gunning down the runner at third to end the inning. The Ospreys would come close to scoring in the fifth as a runner reached third with two out. Cucci induced grounded to end that chance.

Casey Schieda spoiled the shutout bid in the seventh with a solo homer with one out. Cucci retired the next two including a comebacker to the circle to finish off the game.

Brown finished 2-for-2 at the plate for Montclair State.