Montclair, NJ – DeSales University second baseman Robert Lamm drove in the three runs and lefty JJ Paul quelled a rally by Montclair State in the ninth as the Bulldogs held off the Red Hawks for a 12-10 victory at Yogi Berra Stadium on Wednesday afternoon.
First baseman Billy Scalon homered while Travis Kerr added a pair of RBI for the DeSales (8-9), which has won three of its last five contests.
Senior first baseman
PETER COSENTINO belted a home run and finished with five RBI for MSU (16-5) which had its four-game winning streak snapped.
DeSales jumped out to a 6-0 lead after three innings, including four runs in the first inning. Montclair cut that deficit to two runs in the third inning.
JOE NORTON and Cosentino each had RBI doubled with
JORDEN JURKIEWICZ and
ANDREW OLLWERTHER driving in runs to get MSU within 6-4.
Kerr delivered a two-run double in the fourth to boost the lead back to 8-4, however the Red Hawks tied it up in the bottom of the inning. Norton singled through the left side for the first run with Cosentino tying it up at 8-8 with a three-run shot, his seventh of the year.
Scanlon put the Bulldogs back on top in the sixth with a two-out, solo shot and Lamm's two-run double in the eighth widening the DeSales lead to 11-8. Gavin Zvorski, RBI double in the ninth gave the visitors a four-run lead heading into the bottom of the ninth.
But Montclair mounted a rally loading the bases with one out.
JOE GISONDA drew a walked with the bases loaded, drawing MSU within 12-9. Paul was summoned from the bullpen and go a pop up for the second out. He would walk Cosentino to force in a run, but retired the next hitter on a ground out to end the game.
Righthander Mike Romano (1-0) got the victory as he tossed two innings of scoreless relief with a strikeout. Lefthander
MATTHEW TIPLADY (1-1) took the loss for MSU.
Norton had three hits for Montclair State.
The Red Hawks now turn their attention to conference play beginning Saturday, April 2. Montclair heads to Rutgers-Newark for a doubleheader against the Scarlet Raiders with first pitch set for 11:30 am.