Montclair, NJ- The Montclair State University softball team is back at home and will host Farmingdale State for a doubleheader on Thursday.   
GAME INFO
The first of two games from MSU Softball Stadium is set for 3:00 p.m. Live coverage links can be found at montclairathletics.com.


LAST TIME OUT

Montclair suffered a pair of NJAC losses at Kean on Tuesday, losing 2-0 and 10-6. Kean took the lead in the first inning. Montclair got the first two batters out, but were unable to put the inning away as a single through the right side and an RBI double to left field scored the game's first run. The Cougars threatened again in the bottom of the third. The lead-off runner walked and advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt and a pop-up to second. CARLEE IANNONE saved the inning on an unassisted groundout to end the inning and keep the score 1-0. In the bottom of the fifth inning, Kean extended the lead. An RBI triple down the left field line followed a one-out base hit up the middle. Montclair eliminated any further damage on a nice play by MOLLY COLLIGAN that forced a fielder's choice and throw out at home, and a fly out to LEAH MONSCHEIN. Facing one out in the top of the sixth, EMMA DEPEPPO pinch hit and erased Kean's no-hit bid with a single down the left field line. She stole second but was left stranded/ Despite an Iannone walk in the seventh inning, Montclair was unable to rally and fell, 2-0, in game one. Montclair shifted gears and came out swinging in the first inning of game two. Alonso forced a lead-off walk with JAYLA VASQUEZ following with a single through the right side. Iannone pushed the ball through the same gap to plate Alonso. Haley Keiser pinch ran for Iannone, and an RBI single through the left side looked to plate two runners, but a nice relay throw got Keiser. KATIE BRUNNER stepped up and bombed a two-run shot over the left center fence for her first home run of the season, and Montclair took a 4-0 lead early. Kean answered back with three runs of their own. A lead-off triple led to a sacrifice fly for the first run. A pop-out was forced for the second out, but a single to left field and a walk set up a two-RBI double to left field, and the Cougars narrowed the deficit to 4-3. The Red Hawks saw an opportunity to get back to a multi-run lead at the top of the second. Facing two outs, Alonso singled up the middle and stole second. Vasquez had a hard-hit single to the Kean shortstop that allowed Alonso to round home, but the throw home got her and kept the score 4-3. The Cougars took the lead in the bottom of the second on a bizarre play. With bases loaded and one out, a sacrifice fly that plated the runner at third and moved the runner from second to third. The runner on first got caught in a rundown and eventually got tagged, but not before the runner on third used the distraction to run home and give Kean a 5-4 lead. Montclair saw an opportunity to tie the game at the top of the fourth. DYLAN BOLES laced a ball off the third baseman's glove and singled down the left field line and advanced to second on the throw. MIA RIDER pinch hit for her and advanced to third on a fly out, but was left stranded. The top of the fifth is where Montclair regained the lead. With one out, Vasquez batted a double to left center. Following the second out of the inning, LIZ MULLEN got all of the pitch and lifted it over the left-center fence and pushed the Red Hawks to a 6-5 advantage. Kean did not let Montclair hold the lead and responded big with a four-run inning. They scored on RBI singles to left and right field, a fielding error, and an RBI ground out to flip the script 9-6. The Cougars tacked on one more run in the bottom of the sixth, when a collision between outfielders allowed a runner to go from first to home and stamped a 10-6 win for Kean. 

 
 MONTCLAIR STATE (10-10): 2026 Statistics

FARMINGDALE STATE (11-11, 0-2 NJAC): 2026 Statistics
 
SCOUTING FARMINGDALE STATE
The Rams enter this doubleheader with a 5-7 record, but are coming off a sweep in their Skyline Conference opener with wins of 10-0 and 14-1 over Sarah Lawrence. Last season, Farmingdale State posted a record of 29-16 and went 15-3 in conference play. In the Skyline Conference tournament, they defeated Old Westbury, 3-2, and earned two wins against Manhattanville, 5-2 and 7-3, to be crowned conference champions. As the Skyline's automatic qualifier, they entered the NCAA Tournament, but were eliminated with losses to Christopher Newport (12-0) and Alfred (6-5). According to the 2026 Skyline Preseason poll, they are tied with Manhattanville as the favorites to win the conference crown.

SERIES HISTORY
The Red Hawks and the Rams will play contests 9 and 10 against each other. Montclair has won all but one matchup with a 7-1 record and has won five straight.  
 
LAST MEETING
These two teams met last down in Kissimmee, FL, on March 11, 2024, where Montclair came away with a 1-0 win.       
 
UP NEXT
Montclair State University will remain home to host Rutgers-Newark for an NJAC doubleheader on Saturday, April 4. First pitch is set for 1:00 p.m.