Montclair, NJ – The Montclair State University baseball team travels to California to open a three game weekend series with Occidental College Friday afternoon.
GAME INFO
First pitch from Los Angeles, CA is scheduled for 5:00 PM Eastern Time, with live stats and video links available on montclairathletics.com.
LAST TIME OUT
Montclair knocked off Maritime College 11-5 on Monday, March 4 at Yogi Berra Stadium. The Red Hawks erupted for four runs in the first inning, as SAM ANGELO brought in a run on the second at bat of the game on a double. Two singles and a throwing error brought in the remaining three runs to build an advantage for PATRICK CUCCURULLO, who threw six shutout innings for the sixth time in his career. The Privateers climbed back into the contest with a four run top of the seventh to make the score 7-4, but Montclair immediately answered with four runs of their own to seal the contest. Montclair has won six straight games, including three in which they scored nine or more runs.
TEAM LEADERS
MONTCLAIR STATE (6-1)
On-Base Percentage: REECE MALEK, .500
Hits: SAM ANGELO, 11
Doubles: SAM ANGELO, 4
Runs: MARCUS JOHNSON, 8
Home Runs: SAM ANGELO, 2
RBI: SAM ANGELO, 9
Stolen Bases: REECE MALEK, 5
Innings Pitched: PATRICK CUCCURULLO, 11.0
Strikeouts: MICHAEL TIMBERLAKE, 13
OCCIDENTAL (6-8)
On-Base Percentage: Alex Henderson, .411
Hits: Alex Henderson, 16
Doubles: Tyler Kubo, 4
Runs: Alex Henderson, 10
Home Runs: Alex Henderson, 4
RBI: Two Tied at 11
Stolen Bases: Tyler Kubo, 6
Innings Pitched: Declan Sklut, 27.2
Strikeouts: Declan Sklut, 24
SCOUTING OCCIDENTAL
The Tigers enter this weekend's series with a mark of 6-8 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. The Tigers will face a New Jersey opponent for the first time 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
The Red Hawks claimed the only meeting between the two sides during the 1998 season. Montclair will play in California for the first time since 2007, when it squared off with Chapman University to cap off an eight-game West Coast road swing.
LAST MEETING
Montclair defeated Occidental 24-7 on March 12, 1998 in the only prior clash between the Red Hawks and Tigers.
UP NEXT
The Red Hawks will remain in Los Angeles and take on Occidental for game two of the weekend set on Saturday, March 9. First pitch is scheduled for 4:00 PM Eastern Time.
