Jersey City, NJ – The #17/18 Montclair State University baseball team surged past New Jersey City University 12-5 on Friday afternoon.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Red Hawks (25-8, 7-5 NJAC) took the lead during the first at-bat of the contest as SAM ANGELO homered to right center. Montclair loaded the bases later in the frame, but the Gothic Knights escaped with a fielder's choice.
• NJCU immediately answered in the bottom of the frame, using a single to right center to plate two runs, advancing the batter to second on the throw. They brought in that baserunner during the next at-bat on a single to right field to build a two-run advantage.
• Montclair found an offensive surge in the top of the second. After a leadoff walk from JOE GISONDA, REECE MALEK singled to put runners on first and third following a wild pitch. Angelo and MARCUS JOHNSON both reached base on throwing errors to bring home three tallies. During the next at-bat, MILES FEASTER singled through the right side to make the score 5-3. The visitors added their final run of the stanza on a sacrifice fly from RYAN MCKENNA.
• JACK HAVESON retired six of the next seven batters he faced, setting up the Montclair offense in the top of the fourth to plate two more runs on a single to left center from JASON MOORE. Haveson continued to push on the mound, facing the minimum over the next four innings.
• With the bases loaded in the seventh, Feaster hit a sacrifice fly to center field to drive in Malek to expand the margin to six. McKenna singled down the first base line to increase the Montclair run total to double digits.
• In the eighth, the Red Hawks added two more tallies on a sacrifice fly from Gisonda and an RBI double from Angelo. NJCU plated two in the bottom of the ninth on consecutive walks with the bases loaded, but NICK DESIDERIO recorded the final out of the contest on a strikeout.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• Angelo, McKenna, and Malek all led the Red Hawks with a game-high three hits each, with McKenna and Malek matching their season-highs. All three added two runs batted in each, with Feaster adding two.
• Angelo's leadoff home run increased his nation-leading total to 17. He is five away from tying the program single season record of 22, set by John Deutsch in 1987.
• Haveson matched his season-high with eight innings pitched while striking out five batters. The senior has recorded six or more innings in five starts this season, and has thrown eight in two of his last three.
• Montclair outhit NJCU 12-4 in the contest with five extra-base hits. The contest marked the 12th time this season the Red Hawks have tallied double-digit run totals.

FROM THE FIELD

"Good to get back in the win column, need to continue the momentum into tomorrow. JACK HAVESON with another quality start, gave us what we needed most!" - Head Coach Dave Lorber

UP NEXT

The Red Hawks will travel to face Rutgers-Newark in a doubleheader on Saturday, April 20. First pitch from Newark, NJ is scheduled for 1!:30 AM and 2:30 PM.