Kissimmee, Fla. – The Montclair State University softball team took down Loras College and Nichols College on Tuesday afternoon.
 
The Red Hawks (4-2) opened the day with a 3-2 triumph over Loras before rallying to knock off Nichols 8-5 in the nightcap.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Duhawks pushed the first run across in the bottom of the first and held Montclair hitless through the first two frames. SAGE RIZZI settled in and set Loras down in order in the bottom of the second.
• The Red Hawks bats came alive in the third as consecutive singles from JULIANA CASILLAS, NOELLE WOOD, and RILEIGH GLYNN loaded the bases. MADISON LEECH delivered a sacrifice fly to tie the game before KAYLA COSENTINO delivered a two-run double to make it 3-1. Loras chipped away in the fifth, scoring with two outs.
• The Duhawks threatened in the sixth with two walks to open the stanza, but Rizzi shut the door, notching a strikeout for the first out before recording two flyouts. Montclair loaded the bags in the seven on singles from Casillas, Wood, and Leech but could not scratch a run across.
• With the tying run on second in the bottom of the seventh with one down, a pop-up to third registered the second out. Rizzi closed out the frame with a swinging strikeout, ending the contest.
• The Red Hawks opened the scoring against Nichols in the first, as LIZ MULLEN doubled home Cosentino, who tripled to right field with two outs. The Bison responded in the second, taking a 5-1 lead after scoring five times on four hits.
• The game remained 5-1 until the fifth when Montclair constructed a six-run frame. Wood led off with a walk, and after a Glynn single, the two runners moved up a bag on a wild pitch. Leech brought Wood home on an infield hit and swiped second before Cosentino made it 5-3 with a single to left-center.
• The inning continued as MOLLY COLLIGAN was hit by a pitch to load the bases. KATIE BRUNNER stepped up and crushed a grand slam with left-center, giving Montclair the 7-5 advantage. Montclair notched an insurance run in the eighth as Glynn crossed the plate on a passed ball.

 INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• With her first hit of the day against Loras, Cosentino recorded her 100th career knock. She finished the Loras came 2-for-4 with two RBI.
• Rizzi worked seven innings, tying her career-high with six strikeouts.
• Cosentino went 2-for-3 in game two, as Mullen and Glynn added two hits.
• CHEYANNE WEIGAND tossed 3 2/3 scoreless innings of relief, as Cavallaro notched her first save of the year with two shutout innings.

FROM THE FIELD
"It was another great day from our pitching staff today. I am super proud how composed they are on the mound. The bats got hot in big moments and players stepped up when they needed. We just need to keep getting better 1% everyday." Interim Head Coach Nicole Degenhardt. 

UP NEXT
After a day off, the Red Hawks face Springfield at 1:45 pm and North Central at 6:30 pm on Thursday.