Montclair, NJ- The Montclair State University softball team (24-12, 9-5 NJAC) hosted Rutgers-Camden for a doubleheader on Saturday, where the Red Hawks were able to take both games with a 4-3 win in nine innings in game one and a 6-2 victory in game two.
 
GAME ONE
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• After retiring the side in the top of the first, the Red Hawks put the first run on the board in the bottom frame. SOPHIA ALONSO pushed a one-out single through the left side and swiped second. That put her in position for LIZ MULLEN to grab an RBI single down the right-field line and gave Montclair a 1-0 lead.
• Montclair threatened to extend the lead in the fourth. KATIE BRUNNER led off with a single to third base and advanced to second on a wild pitch. EMMA DEPEPPO pinch-hit and walked, putting two runners on. Brunner stole third and allowed DePeppo to get to second for two runners in scoring position with no outs. Camden got out of the jam with a strikeout and a lineout double play to keep the score at 1-0.
• The Red Hawks extended the lead in the bottom of the fifth. JAYLA VASQUEZ led off with a walk, and an error allowed Alonso to reach. CARLEE IANNONE loaded the bases on a single to centerfield, which allowed Mullen to hit a sacrifice fly to center that plated Vasquez for a 2-0 edge.
• Rutgers-Camden clawed back in the top of the sixth. A single and a sacrifice bunt moved a runner to second. Another single put runners on the corners for an RBI single and then an RBI ground out to tie the game, 2-2. Montclair got runners in scoring position in both the sixth and seventh innings, but was unable to score the go-ahead run, and the contest went into extra innings.
• In the eighth, the Scarlet Raptors moved the runner on second to third on a sacrifice bunt, but Montclair got the two outs they needed on a pop-up and a lineout. The Red Hawks mirrored the sacrifice bunt to move the runner on second, but lined into a double play to push the game to the ninth.
• The top of the ninth started with a passed ball that moved the runner to third. Montclair's defense forced two outs and a full count on the batter, but a single up the middle scored the runner on third. Montclair avoided any more runs but went into the bottom of the ninth trailing 3-2.
• Julianna Casillas led off with a sacrifice bunt to move Brunner to third. MARIALYS RICOURT pinch hit in a big spot and delivered with an RBI single up the middle that tied the game. Palmieri followed with a single down the left field line. With two outs, Vasquez worked a walk, and Alonso had bases loaded with two outs. She worked a full count and was hit by a pitch on the final throw of the game to score CALLIE KOZENIEWSKI, who pinch ran for Ricourt, for the winning run.

 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• Vasquez led on the bats, going 2-for-3 with a run scored and also worked two walks in the game.
• Mullen led in RBI with two, while Ricourt and Alonso earned the others.
• CARLY MOCKENHAUPT earned the win during the slugfest. She pitched all nine innings and surrendered eight hits and three runs (two earned). She also struck out five batters.

GAME TWO
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• After a scoreless first inning, the Red Hawks got on the board in game two in the bottom of the second. Boles battled a 12-pitch at-bat that ended with a double to left field. A wild pitch sent her to third, and she scored on a sacrifice fly by MOLLY COLLIGAN for a 1-0 lead.
• ZOE TURNER kicked off the bottom of the third with a triple to the right-center gap. Vasquez put a sacrifice fly out to centerfield for Turner to reach home. Alonso followed with a single through the left side. Mullen placed down a bunt single, and an error on the throw allowed Alonso to round all the way home, and Mullen moved to second. Liz reached third on a wild pitch and completed her trip around the bases on an RBI single to right center by Boles that gave Montclair a 4-0 advantage.
• Back-to-back doubles at the top of the fifth gave Camden its first run of game two. They followed with a ground out to move a runner to third and nabbed a sacrifice fly of their own to cut the lead to 4-2.
• The Red Hawks countered in the bottom of the fourth. With one out, ASHLEY PALMIERI walked and stole second. Turner reached on an error and stole second, and both scored on an RBI ground out to first base for a 6-2 lead.
• The Montclair defense did its job the rest of the way and completed the sweep.

 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• Alonso was a perfect 3-for-3 with a run scored. She currently had a five-game hit streak with four of the five including multiple hits.
• Boles finished 2-for-2 with an RBI.
• Turner scored two runs and hit her first collegiate triple.
• JORDAN TARABOKIA picked up her eighth win of the season inside the circle. She went all seven innings and allowed two runs on six hits and struck out seven batters.

 
FROM THE DIAMOND

• Quote to be added.

 
UP NEXT

• Montclair hits the road for an NJAC slate at Ramapo on Tuesday, April 22. The first of two games is set for 3:00 p.m.