Montclair, NJ – The Montclair State baseball team perhaps couldn't have asked for a better start to the final weekend of the NJAC as the Red Hawks pounded out 28 hits and scored in all but two innings in a 25-1 victory over Kean at Yogi Berra Stadium on Thursday afternoon.

Senior third baseman JOE NORTON had four hits and drove in seven runs for MSU (27-9), which tied the Cougars for second place in the NJAC standings at 12-3, a game behind Rowan (13-2) for the top spot. The Red Hawks and Kean meet again on Friday, April 29 with the venue moving to Union, NJ and Jim Hynes Stadium at 3:30 pm.

Montclair led 2-0 after the first inning as it used it legs to manufacture the runs. PETER COSENTINO, who reached on a single with one out, scored on a wild pitch with MILES FEASTER doing the same. Norton made it three runs on wild pitches with a scamper home in the second inning before the Red Hawks exploded for five runs in the third. JASON MOORE opened the inning with a ground-rule double for the first run and Norton plated a pair with a single. Cosentino ripped a base hit through the right side, scoring RYAN MCKENNA for an 8-0 lead.

Norton accounted for all three runs in the fourth with a bases-clearing double as the lead grew to 11-0.

Kean got on the board with a run in the fifth, however the Red Hawks exploded for eight runs in the sixth. McKenna had a two-run single. Norton and Feaster each collected RBI base hits with a double by SAM ANGELO pushed the lead to 17-1. ANDREW OLLWERTHER capped the inning with a two-run single.

Lefthander PATRICK CUCCURULLO (6-2) picked up the victory going the first five innings allowing a run and five hits with seven strikeouts. NICHOLAS SEFICK pitched two scoreless inning with MATTHEW TIPLADY closing out the ninth with a clean inning.

Ollwerther had four hits and Anthoy Guarino was 5for-5 BLAISE RANTANEN drove in a pair of runs.