Ewing, NJ – The fourth-seeded Montclair State University baseball team was edged 8-5 by the third-seeded The College of New Jersey in the First Round of the 2025 New Jersey Athletic Conference Tournament on Thursday afternoon.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Red Hawks (24-15-1) took an early lead in the second inning to kick off the afternoon. BILLY TIGAR singled through the right side and advanced to second on a balk during the net at-bat in which MICHAEL MURPHY drove him home on a single to left field. PATRICK CUCCURULLO retired six of the next seven batters he faced on the mound for the Red Hawks.
• TCNJ climbed back and took the lead in the fourth, putting the first two batters on with a double and a throwing error. After a fielder's choice moved both runners into scoring position, a single to right field leveled the contest. A double to right center plated two more runs to give the Lions the lead. The home side added another pair of runs in the sixth on another double to increase the margin to four with three frames remaining.
• The Lions continued their offensive surge in the seventh, placing the leadoff hitter on with a single to center field. After a groundout advanced the runner to second, a single through the left side placed runners on the corners with one out. Three consecutive hits, including a double to right center, drove in three runs to make the score 8-1.
• MILES FEASTER led off the eighth with a single up the middle, and scored on a fielding error during the next at-bat as BRODY DIERS singled to left field. With Diers on third following a wild pitch, JARED LEVIS singled to plate the second tally of the stanza. ZACH STEARNS reached on an infield single, and with two runners on, a throwing error by the pitcher allowed MARCUS JOHNSON to reach base safely with Levis coming around to score. Following a pitching change, CHASE FISCHER notched an infield single that drove in another run to cut the deficit to three.
• Diers and Levis recorded back-to-back singles in the ninth with one out, but the Lions were able to secure the final two outs to clinch the tournament-opening victory.

INSIDE THE RESULTS

• With his pair of hits, Levis has reached base safely in each of Montclair's last 21 games dating back to March 21. He has notched three consecutive multi-hit performances and 10 hits over his last five games.
• Feaster tallied two hits, marking his third-straight game hitting that mark. Diers extended his hitting streak to six, accumulating 10 hits during that span. 
• Cuccurullo recorded six innings for Montclair, striking out three batters. It marked his eighth start of the campaign of six or more frames.

FROM THE FIELD

"The margin for error is so small in games like that, they capitalized on a few miscues and we couldn't overcome it. The good news is we roll onto Saturday at home." - Head Coach Dave Lorber

UP NEXT

The Red Hawks will take on the sixth-seeded Rutgers-Camden on Saturday, May 3. First pitch from Yogi Berra Stadium is scheduled for 3:30 PM.