Montclair, NJ – Senior second baseman MILES FEASTER drove in all three runs and junior lefty PATRICK CUCCURULLO struck out 10 in six-plus innings helping No. 25/22 and second-seeded Montclair State past No. 5 seed The College of NJ, 3-2 in the NJAC Tournament at Yogi Berra Stadium on Tuesday.

Sophomore JACK HAVESON recorded the final six outs for his eighth save as MSU (31-9) captured its fifth consecutive victory. The Red Hawks will face third-seeded William Paterson on Friday, May 6 at 7:00 pm as the tournament shifts to Jim Hynes Stadium at Kean University in Union, NJ.

Third baseman Andrew Fernandez homered for TCNJ (19-17), which will face top-seeded Rowan in an elimination game on Friday at Noon. The Profs were upset by Ramapo, 16-13 on Tuesday.

Tuesday's game, the third meeting of the season between Montclair and TCNJ, saw Cuccurullo matched up with the Lions' Ben Amon for the second time and just like the first meeting, the two did not disappoint. Cuccurullo (7-2) went the first 6 1/3 allowing a run and four hits with 10 strikeouts and three walks. Amon (3-4) scattered eight hits over seven innings, fanning six.

Six of those hit Amon gave up came in the Red Hawks' scoring innings. JOE NORTON dropped a single down the right field line and PETER COSENTINO did the same moving Norton to third. Feaster smacked a base hit though the right side driving in Norton as MSU took a 1-0 lead. That could have been more if not for a great stop by shortstop Chris Cote, who prevented a single up the middle, instead turning it into a forced out at second and keeping the runner at third. Amon induced a pop up to end the inning.
MSU added to the lead in almost carbon copy fashion as Norton and Cosentino led off with base hits putting runners on the corners. Feaster lifted a sacrifice fly to bring home Norton, making the score 2-0.

TCNJ threatened in the fifth as it loaded the bases with one out. However, Cuccurullo struck out the next hitter and got a ground out to escape the jam.

The Lions would break through in the seventh s Michael Schumacher singled to right-center scoring Fernandez, who reached on a one-out triple. Reliever NICHOLAS SEFICK came on for Cuccurullo and allowed a double up the gap in right-center that looked as though it would tie the game. But Schumacher slipped coming around third and instead had to hold up. That proved to be crucial as Sefick got a foul pop up for the second out before centerfielder MICHAEL MURPHY made a diving catch in left center to end the inning with MSU holding on to a 2-1 advantage.

Montclair used that momentum and added a run in the seventh. JORDEN JURKIEWICZ led off with a double with a pair of walks loading the bases. Feaster grounded into a fielder's choice scoring Jurkiewicz putting the Red Hawks in front 3-1.

Again, the run would prove huge as Fernandez led off the ninth with a home run to left-center bringing TCNJ within 3-2. Haveson, who entered in the eighth, struck out the next hitter, but allowed a singled to Joey Cruciata and walking Mike Lagravenis putting the tying run on second and go-ahead run at first. Haveson would regroup and struck out the next two hitters to preserve the victory

Norton, Cosentino and ANDREW OLLWERTHER each had two hits for MSU.