Montclair, NJ – Senior righthander Emily August picked up a win in the opener and save in the nightcap as No. 21 Rowan University swept past Montclair State to clinch the No. 1 seed in the upcoming New Jersey Athletic Conference Tournament on Saturday afternoon.
Junior catcher Kori Hague hit the go-ahead two-run homer in the second game as the Profs (25-5) posted 8-1 and 3-2 victories to finish 17-1 in conference play. Rowan will host a quarterfinal best-of-three series next Friday, May 7 against an opponent to be determined.
ALYSSA BOROZAN drove in a run for the Red Hawks (13-7), who finished 12-6 in the conference and will be the No. 3 seed in the tournament. Montclair will also host sixth-seeded Stockton in its best-of-three quarterfinal on Saturday.
In the opener, Montclair put its only run on the board in the bottom of the first as Borozan walked with the bases loaded, sending AMBER POWERS home with the game's first run.
The Profs got the run back in the second as Mackenzie Short belted a solo homer to left and added three more in the fourth for a 4-1 advantage. Pinch-hitter Zoe Frisko doubled in the first run and Brenna Bryant singled in the final two. Rowan put the game away in the fifth scoring four times. Sarah Brosman singled through the right side scoring two before Payton MacNair's two-run double made the score 8-1.
August improved to 12-2 as she allowed three hits, striking out four and walking four. Righthander ALI CAVALLARO (8-3) took the loss for Montclair. Sonia Sharma had three hits for the Profs.
The Red Hawks would get out to a 1-0 lead in the second game as well Powers led off the inning with a single and scored on an error. Rowan evened the game in the fourth. Hague reached on a two-out single, went to second on a wild pitch, and scored as Kelly Duffy lined a single to center for the 1-1 tie.
Montclair would go back on top in the fifth. Catcher DANIELLE SIBILIO doubled to right-center to lead off the inning. Pinch-runner DALIAH LEGENSKI would go to third on a sacrifice and scored on Powers' ground out for the 2-1 lead. But Rowan would take the lead in the top of the sixth on two swings of the bat. Morgan Zane lined a one-out double to left-center with Hague launching a two-run homer to give Rowan the lead.
August made that 3-2 lead hold up as she retired all six batters she faced, striking out two to earn her third save of the season. Freshman Cat Thomas (8-2) earned the win as she allowed two hits through the first five innings. Righthander KAYLA VOLANTE (4-3) was tagged with the loss for MSU.
Duffy was 3-for-3 for Rowan with Zane and Hague each collecting two hits.
Prior to the game, the Red Hawks honored their four seniors - Powers, Volante, first baseman KAYLA GALLO and infielder CLARE JERNIGAN.
