Montclair, NJ – Senior right fielder ANDREW OLLWERTHER drove in three runs while freshman MICHAEL MURPHY belted a homer and added two RBI as fourth-seeded Montclair State knocked off Kean University 13-4 to earn a split of the first two games of their NJAC Quarterfinal best-of-3 series at Yogi Berra Stadium on Friday.

The Red Hawks (20-9) bounced back from a 12-4 loss in Game 1 to force a winner-take-all game on Saturday, May 8 at Yogi Berra Stadium with the first pitch slated for 2:00 pm. Kean is now 16-13 on the year.

After dropping the opener, Montclair quickly got on the board in the first inning with a run. PETER COSENTINO was hit by a pitch with two outs and scored as Ollwerther drilled a double to right for the early lead.

Ollwerther also played a role in MSU's next scoring inning as the Red Hawks plated five in the third. The All-NJAC selection singled in the first two runs extending the lead to 3-0. SAM ANGELO added two more with a base hit to left-center and ANTHONY GUARINO came home on a wild pitch making the score 6-0.

Montclair State tacked on two runs each in the fifth, sixth, and seventh innings to break the game open. Murphy's two-run homer accounted for the scoring in the fifth with JOE NORTON scampering home on a wild pitch in the sixth for a 9-0 advantage. Guarino added an RBI single in that inning with MSU taking care of two Kean miscues for the two runs in the seventh pushing the lead to 12-1.

Left-hander BRIAN REISS (3-1) kept the Cougars in check as he went the first six innings allowing a run and five hits with two walks and a strikeout.  Daniel Chiusano (1-3) was tagged with the loss.

Ollwerther finished 4-for-6 for the Red Hawks with Norton, Cosentino, and Guarino each recording two hits.

In the opener, Kean jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning and took a 5-1 advantage in the third as Zach Marzano belted a two-run homer. Montclair was able to cut that back to 5-3 in the fifth as Cosentino launched his ninth home run of the year, a solo shot.

The Cougars would answer with three runs in the sixth, two on a base hit by Tim Huxen. Pitcher Frank LoGiudice helped his cause with a sacrifice fly in the seventh widening Kean's lead to 9-3.

LoGiudice (3-1) went the first five innings to earn the win as he gave up three runs and eight hits with three strikeouts and five walks. Colin Kiernan tossed the final four innings to earn his first save of the year. Keirnan struck out three and surrendered a run and three hits with two walks. Left-hander PATRICK CUCCURULLO (3-3) took the loss for Montclair State.