Hackettstown, NJ – Highlighted by a pair of innings with six or more runs, the Montclair State University Baseball team defeated Centenary 17-11 on Wednesday afternoon.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Red Hawks (8-3) jumped ahead in the top half of the first, as JARED LEVIS led off the game with a single and stole second during the next at-bat. After he advanced to third on a flyout, an error from the Cyclones brought him in. Centenary equalized right after in their half of the stanza, as a single with two on drove in a run, and another hit to left field later on with two outs pushed them ahead by one. In a back-and-forth contest, the Red Hawks leveled in the second, with MICHAEL WANSAW JR. plating MATT KALISKE on a groundout. The home side struck right back in the bottom of the second, scoring on a single to center field to retake the lead for the second time in as many innings.
• Montclair broke the game open in the third, placing the first two batters on base with a walk and hit batter. A groundout put them in scoring position for CHASE FISCHER, who reached on an error that equalized the contest at three. ZACH STEARNS came home on the throw when Fischer stole second to push the visitors in front, with Kaliske rocking a three-run home run later in the inning to make the score 7-3. Levis notched a sacrifice fly with two outs to cap off the six-run inning for Montclair.
• After Centenary tacked on three runs in the fourth, the Red Hawks would counter in their half of the sixth. With the bases loaded and no outs, DANNY O'BRIEN singled to center field to plate Stearns, and a hit batter right after would push the lead back to four. Following a pitching change later in the stanza, Wansaw walked to load the bases for LUKAS EGENHAUSER, who tallied three runs on an infield single to vault Montclair ahead 13-6. A wild pitch, followed by two hit batters, loaded the bases for BILLY TIGAR, who doubled to right center to score two more for the visitors.
• A sacrifice bunt in the top of the seventh placed two runners in scoring position for the Red Hawks, who received a single from Wansaw to increase their lead to double-digits. Egenhauser kept the inning going during the next at-bat, scoring CHRIS GONZALO for Montclair's final run of the day. The Cyclones battled back with three runs in the seventh, one in the eighth, and then one in the ninth, but a throw from Stearns caught a runner stealing second to end the potential rally for the home side and seal Montclair's second win in as many days.

INSIDE THE RESULTS

• Tigar extended his hitting streak to 11 games to kick off the season, leading the team with 19 for the campaign. He has driven in two runs in three of his last four games.
• The homer for Kaliske marked the first of his Montclair career, as he matched his season-best in runs batted in with four. 
• Egenhauser's four runs batted in marked a new career-high. He has notched a hit in four of his last five games.
• Fischer moved into a tie for the team-lead in RBI with 14, accumulating six over his last three games.
• Wansaw has tallied two hits in three of his last four games, driving in five runs during that stretch. Levis extended his hit streak to four contests, with O'Brien notching his third career multi-hit performance.
• MATT KING earned the victory on the mound for the Red Hawks, tossing four innings. BRENDAN ROCHE went the final five frames, earning his first collegiate save.
• Montclair has recorded 10 or more hits in each of its last five games, scoring double-digit runs in four of those contests.

FROM THE BALLPARK

"We are looking forward to a great three-game series with MIT this weekend at Yogi Berra Stadium." - Head Coach Dave Lorber

UP NEXT

The Red Hawks will open a three-game set against MIT on Friday, March 13. First pitch from Yogi Berra Stadium is scheduled for 3:00 PM.