Montclair, NJ – The Montclair State softball team saw its season come to an end on Friday as the third Red Hawks were eliminated from the NJAC Tournament falling to sixth-seeded Stockton twice in their best-of-three quarterfinals series at the MSU Softball Stadium.

The Ospreys (10-16) posted 6-3 and 3-1 victories as they advance to the semifinals on Tuesday, May 11 at second-seeded The College of New Jersey in another best-of-three series.

Senior first baseman KAYLA GALLO had four hits for the Red Hawks, who ended their season at 13-9.

In the opener, Stockton put two runs on the board in the top of the first. Liani Ortiz singled to left scoring Lily James with the first run. Jenna Patterson came across on a two-out error for the 2-0 lead. Ortiz extended the lead to 4-0 in the third with a two-run single.

Montclair State cut the lead in half with a run in the third on an AMBER REED RBI base hit and made it a 4-2 contest as Gallo singled to center plating ANNALESA DILAURENZIO. The Ospreys got those runs back as Angie Dunphy collected an RBI single in the fifth with Meg Murzello driving in a run in the sixth with a base hit.

ALYSSA BOROZAN delivered the final MSU run in the seventh with a sacrifice fly.

Right-hander Marissa Semeraro (5-6) got the victory as allowed 10 hits in going the distance. Righty ALI CAVALLARO (8-4) took the loss for MSU. James was 3-for-3 for the Ospreys while Gallo had four hits for Montclair State.

The nightcap would be a scoreless battle as each team came up with solid defensive plays to keep runs off the board through the first three innings. Montclair State would get the first crack at scoring in the fourth putting runners on second and third with no one out. Right-hander Samantha McErlane however was able to escape the jam retiring the next three batters to end the threat.

Stockton would go in front in the fifth. Meg Murzello and James reached on one-out base hits. Angie Dunphy then grounded a ball with MSU looking to get the lead runner at third. But the throw was mishandled and Murzello scampered home for the 1-0 lead. Patterson made that miscue hurt more with a base hit back through the middle adding two more as the Ospreys built a three-run lead.

The Red Hawks were able to plate a run in the sixth. Rightfielder ALEXIS LAW doubled home KAYLA COSENTINO making the score 3-1.

But McErlane got the next out and then retired MSU in order in the seventh to give Stockton the two-game sweep of the series.

MacErlane improved to 3-4 on the year as she allowed five hits and maneuvered her way around five walks. KAYLA VOLANTE (4-4) took the loss for the Red Hawks.  Reed was 2-for-2.