Mahwah, NJ- The Montclair State University softball team (26-12, 11-5 NJAC) extended its win streak to eight games in a row as they went on the road Tuesday and swept conference foe Ramapo (25-12, 9-7 NJAC), 4-2 and 8-0 in six innings.
GAME ONE
HOW IT HAPPENED
- The Red Hawks saw JAYLA VASQUEZ lead off with a single through the right side, and CARLEE IANNONE put two runners in scoring position with a double down the left field line, but both were left stranded.
- An error and a walk led to two runners on in the bottom of the first for the Roadrunners. CARLY MOCKENHAUPT forced a flyout to SOPHIA ALONSO and a lineout to LIZ MULLEN to get out of the jam.
- MOLLY COLLIGAN worked a one-out walk and got all the way to third on a stolen base and a nice tag off a fly ball to right field, but was left on by a lineout to third.
- Ramapo threatened again in the bottom of the second. Following a lineout to Colligan at third, they put a single up the middle and a double to left field for two runners in scoring position. Colligan came through with two big putouts, throwing out a bunt attempt and catching a ball near the fence in foul territory to strand the runners and keep the game scoreless.
- In the top of the fourth is where Montclair broke the scoreless tie. Mullen put down a bunt and reached on a throwing error by the pitcher. KATIE BRUNNER followed with a bomb over the left-field fence that pushed the Red Hawks to a 2-0 lead.
- The Roadrunners operated a pair of two-out walks in the bottom of the fourth to threaten a run again. Mullen got the pop-up for the final out and kept Ramapo off the scoreboard.
- In the bottom of the fifth, the Roadrunners got on the board. They led off with a single through the left side. An error on a sacrifice bunt attempt kept two runners. A flyout to right field advanced both runners and led to a sacrifice fly to the same spot. The Red Hawks were able to limit the damage and hold a 2-1 lead after five innings.
- Ramapo put a runner on with a walk. BROOKE MCHALE entered the game to pitch and, despite walking one batter, forced three pop-ups into the infield to hold the edge on the scoreboard.
- Montclair retired the side in the ninth to take game one.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
- Brunner's home run, which was the third of the season and is the most she has hit in a season in her career, surpassing the two she hit in 2024.
- Iannone led in hits with two on the day, including an extra-base hit. She has had two hits in a game in five of her last seven games. She has also batted six doubles in her last eight games.
- Mockenhaupt improved her record to 9-4 on the season with a win. She went five innings and allowed just one run (zero earned) on three hits.
- McHale earned her first career save and just the second save of the season for the Red Hawks. She entered the sixth to pitch the final two innings and kept the Roadrunners hitless inside the circle.
GAME TWO
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Montclair got things going off the first swing with a lead-off double to left field from Vasquez. She advanced on a groundout, and Mullen batted her home on a two-out RBI single up the middle to put the Red Hawks up 1-0.
- LEAH MONSCHEIN led off the second with a walk and made it to third on a sacrifice bunt and a groundout. Ramapo held strong and forced a groundout to keep it a one-run game.
- The Red Hawks once again put the Roadrunners on their heels at the top of the fourth inning. With two outs, Colligan singled through the left side. ASHLEY PALMIERI reached on a throwing error that pushed both runners another base. Ramapo once again staved off Montclair from scoring another run.
- At the top of the fifth inning, is where Montclair took a true lead. Vasquez worked a walk in the lead off and was followed by a double to left center by Alonso. With runners in scoring position, Mullen got all of an inside pitch and blasted a ball off the Ramapo scoreboard for a three-run homer to extend the lead to 4-0.
- Ramapo sought to counter in the bottom of the fifth. A walk, an error, and a single up the middle loaded the bases and put the pressure on the Montclair defense. With one out, a big strikeout by JORDAN TARABOKIA took the sacrifice fly away from the Roadrunners, and a flyout to Monschein left three runners on for Ramapo.
- Montclair enacted the run rule into play at the top of the sixth. Palmieri walked in the lead off and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. Vasquez also took a walk, and Alonso reached on a fielding error by the shortstop to juice the bases. Following a strikeout, Mullen batted a slow roller to the second baseman and beat out the throw for an RBI single that scored Palmieri. Boles cleared the bases on a three-RBI double to left center and gave the Red Hawks an 8-0 lead.
- After surrendering a lead-off walk, Tarabokia forced a lineout and two flyouts to win the game for Montclair in six innings and complete the sweep.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
- Montclair flipped the switch on the season and has been on fire since the beginning of the month. The Red Hawks saw themselves at 10-10 and 0-4 in NJAC play following a sweep at Kean on March 31. In the month of April, Montclair is 16-2 and 11-1 in NJAC play. They sport a team batting average of .346, are averaging about six runs a game, holding their opponents to just about two runs per game, to outscore their opponents 110-34. They also post a team ERA of 1.41.
- Mullen had a career outing in game two. She went 3-for-4 with her first five RBI performance of her career. She belted her third career homerun and her second of the season.
- Boles earned her first three-RBI performance of the season and finished the day a combined 3-for-5. She has a hit in six of her last seven games with three multi-hit games.
- The Red Hawks finished the day with seven extra-base hits on five doubles and two home runs.
- Tarabokia was stellar once again. She tossed six innings of one-hit ball and struck out two batters.
FROM THE DIAMOND
UP NEXT
- Montclair will honor its senior class before its final regular-season matchups of the season against The College of New Jersey on Saturday, April 25. First pitch of game one is set for 1:00 p.m.