Virginia Beach, VA – With nine runs over the final four frames, the Montclair State University baseball team defeated Virginia Wesleyan 12-11 in 10 innings on Sunday afternoon.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Red Hawks (6-1) opened the scoring in the top of the first, as JARED LEVIS kicked off the game with a leadoff single and stole second, leading to an RBI single from JUSTIN KILYK. Virginia Wesleyan loaded the bases in the bottom half of the frame, but SEBASTIAN ECKER notched an inning-ending strikeout to prevent the rally.
• After the home side leveled the contest in the second, Montclair countered immediately in the third, as Levis scored on a throwing error by the shortstop, and ZACH STEARNS plated another run on a single to left center to drive in MARCUS JOHNSON. The Marlins tied the game in the bottom of the stanza on a wild pitch and fielder's choice.
• Virginia Wesleyan pushed out in front 5-3 on a two-run home run in the bottom of the sixth, but the visitors provided another answer in the following inning. Stearns was hit with the bases loaded to bring in a marker, and CHASE FISCHER used a pinch-hit walk to tie the game. The Marlins erupted for five runs in the seventh, including a grand slam, to jump back out in front, 10-5, with two innings to go.
• With runners on first and second with no outs in the eighth, Johnson launched the ball over the left field fence to bring Montclair within two runs. DYLAN BRIGGS singled up the middle during the next at-bat and advanced to second on a throwing error. After Stearns walked, Fischer drove in Briggs to cut the margin to one, and a passed ball later in the frame tied the game at 10.
• The Marlins capitalize on an error in the bottom of the inning to reclaim the lead, but Montclair once again tallied a late-inning run to tie the game. DANNY CORCORAN kicked off the ninth with a leadoff single to left field, and Johnson doubled two at-bats later to left field to drive him in. Virginia Wesleyan tripled to kick off the bottom of the ninth, and after back-to-back intentional walks, PATRICK TEEHAN recorded three consecutive strikeouts with the bases loaded to send the game to extras.
• MATTHEW RINALDI was hit by a pitch to kick off the 10th and advanced to second on a groundout during the next at-bat. Levis singled up the middle during the next at-bat to vault the visitors into the lead. In the bottom half of the frame, Teehan worked around a leadoff single by retiring the next three batters to clinch the victory and the three-game series for Montclair. 

INSIDE THE RESULTS

• Kilyk and Johnson led the way for Montclair with three hits each, with Johnson collecting four runs batted in on the day. Over back-to-back games, Kilyk amassed seven hits, six runs, five RBI, and three home runs.
• Johnson has driven in at least one run in five of his six appearances this season, and leads the team with 15.
• Levis and Corcoran each tallied two hits on the day. From the leadoff spot, Levis has tallied 14 hits and 11 RBI across Montclair's seven games this season.
• SEBASTIAN ECKER got the start for the Red Hawks and punched out five batters over two and a third innings. COLIN DOWLEN entered the game in relief and amassed seven strikeouts over the next four frames. Teehan notched the victory, throwing the final three innings of the contest.

FROM THE FIELD

"Only athletics can give you so many different emotions in a four hour time frame and I think our team experienced all of them. It's never easy to win a road series especially in that fashion." - Head Coach Dave Lorber

UP NEXT

The Red Hawks will travel to face Stevens on Tuesday, March 4. First pitch from Hoboken, NJ is scheduled for 3:00 PM.