Clermont, FL – Junior shortstop
AMBER POWERS belted a two-run homer in the opener while senior righthander
KIARA RUIZ tossed a no-hitter with 10 strikeouts in the second game as Montclair State swept past Suffolk University and Becker College at The Spring Games on Saturday.
Powers provided the difference with a two-run homer as the Red Hawks (2-0) knocked off Suffolk (1-1) 4-2 in their opener before pounding out 15 hits in a 16-0 triumph against Becker (1-1). MSU continues action on Sunday, March 8 with a 9:00 am contest against Juniata College before facing Westminster (PA) at 11:15 am.
In the first game, MSU trailed 2-0 after four innings as the Rams snapped a scoreless contest with two runs. An error allowed pinch runner Karina Bua to come home with the first run before second baseman Hailey Cockroft delivered an RBI single for the second run.
The Red Hawks tied the game in the top of the sixth.
ALEXA PENNA led off with an infield single and a
BLAKE SAPERSTEIN base hit put runners at first and second.
VALENTINA CUCCI singled back through the middle loading the bases for
ELENA RADESICH, who smacked a hit through the right side plating Penna for Montclair's first run. Two batters later,
AMBER REED drew a bases loaded walk tying the contest at 2-2.
After reliever
KAYLA VOLANTE set down Suffolk in the bottom of the sixth, Montclair took the lead in the seventh. Penna singled with one out, setting the stage for Powers, who blasted a two-run, opposite-field homer putting Montclair State in front 4-2.
Volante allowed a leadoff single in the bottom of the inning, however she retired the next three batters to nail down the Red Hawks' first victory of the year.
Volante (1-0) got the victory as she gave up two hits and struck out over the final three innings.
JILLIAN SIMS went the first four allowing three hits, two unearned runs with four strikeouts. Powers, Cucci, Radesich and Penna each had two hits accounting for eight of Montclair's nine in the game.
Ruiz (1-0) registered the second no-hitter of her career as she allowed just two runners to reach base. First baseman
KAYLA GALLO cracked a grand slam and drove in five while
KATIE DEBELL and Radesich collected three RBI apiece.
BLAKE SAPERSTEIN also homered.
The Red Hawks wasted little time getting on the board scoring four times in the first inning. Radesich brought home the first run with a double and
AMBER REED followed with an RBI single for a 2-0 advantage. Reed would score on an error and DeBell drove in a run with a base hit for the four-run lead.
Montclair increased its lead with a six-run second. Radesich plated two with a single and Gallo added an RBI base hit making the score 7-0. Radeisch scored on Penna's fielder's choice with DeBell capping the inning with a two-run double.
The Red Hawks scored five times in the third on two swings of the bat as Saperstein homered to lead off the inning. Three straight hits would load the bases for sophmore
KAYLA GALLO, who crushed the first pitch she saw over the left-centerfield fence for the grand slam.
Gallo finished 3-for-3 at the plate with DeBell, Reed, Radesich and Cucci all recording two hits each.
