Montclair, NJ – The Montclair State University baseball team closes out its three-game weekend series against Occidental College on Sunday afternoon.

GAME INFO
First pitch from Los Angeles, CA is scheduled for 4:00 PM Eastern Time, with live stats and video links available on montclairathletics.com.

LAST TIME OUT
Montclair surged past Occidental 15-8 on Saturday, March 9 behind a career-high six RBI from MARCUS JOHNSON. With the score 4-3 in the sixth inning, Johnson hit a two-run home run to right field to kick off a nine-run frame. SAM ANGELO later scored on a wild pitch, and JOE GISONDA singled to left field to bring in another tally. The Red Hawks added three more runs before Johnson drove in two on a single to make the margin 10. MATT SHUHET singled through the right side to drive in the 14th tally of the contest in the seventh, and Johnson homered for the second time in the eighth for Montclair's final run of the afternoon. Montclair has won eight consecutive contests, scoring six or more runs in six of those games.

TEAM LEADERS
MONTCLAIR STATE (8-1)
On-Base Percentage: RYAN MCKENNA, .537
Hits: Two Tied at 15
Doubles: MARCUS JOHNSON, 5
Runs: MARCUS JOHNSON, 13
Home Runs: SAM ANGELO, 4
RBI: SAM ANGELO, 13
Stolen Bases: REECE MALEK, 7
Innings Pitched: JACK HAVESON, 15.1
Strikeouts: MATT PONTARI, 16
 
OCCIDENTAL (6-10)
On-Base Percentage: Alex Henderson, .390
Hits: Alex Henderson, 16
Doubles: Tyler Kubo, 5
Runs: Alex Henderson, 10
Home Runs: Alex Henderson, 4
RBI: Two Tied at 11
Stolen Bases: Tyler Kubo, 6
Innings Pitched: AJ Naha, 28.1
Strikeouts: Declan Sklut, 24

SCOUTING OCCIDENTAL
The Tigers enter Saturday's contest with a mark of 6-10 for the 2024 campaign, already surpassing their 2023 win total. They opened the season with wins in three of their first four before falling in seven straight contests. Occidental swept California Institute of Technology during a three-game weekend set from March 1-3, outscoring the Beavers 17-2 in those contests. Montclair marks the first New Jersey opponent for the Tigers since 2019, when they fell to Drew University 6-5. Occidental was tabbed seventh in the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Preseason Coaches Poll, 18 points behind Montclair's opponent on March 12, the University of Redlands.

SERIES HISTORY
Montclair has won all three meetings against Occidental, outscoring the Tigers 46-18. Prior to this weekend's series, the only previous clash between the two sides came during the 1998 season, when Montclair defeated Occidental 24-7. Montclair is playing its first games in California since the 2007 season.

LAST MEETING
Montclair defeated Occidental 15-8 on Saturday, March 9 behind a two home run, six RBI afternoon from MARCUS JOHNSON. SAM ANGELO hit his team-leading fourth homer of the season, and REECE MALEK tallied a season-high three hits. The Red Hawks recorded 17 hits, marking the first time since April 23, 2023 when the team tallied 15 or more hits in a game. Montclair's 15 runs marked a season-high and the most since April 14, 2023, when the Red Hawks scored 25 against New Jersey City University.

UP NEXT
The Red Hawks will remain in California and travel to face the University of Redlands on Tuesday, March 12. First pitch from Redlands, CA is slated for 5:00 PM Eastern Time.