Montclair, NJ - The Montclair State University softball team honors its senior class before matching up with TCNJ in its final regular-season contests on Friday.

GAME INFO
The first of two games at MSU Softball Stadium is set for 3:30 p.m. Live coverage links are available at montclairathletics.com.

LAST TIME OUT
Montclair went on the road and earned a big conference sweep at Ramapo on Tuesday with wins of 2-1 and 8-0. 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.
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.
 
MONTCLAIR STATE (26-12, 11-5 NJAC) 2026 Stats

TCNJ (23-13, 10-6 NJAC) 2026 Stats
 
SCOUTING TCNJ
The Lions enter this matchup with a 21-13 overall record and a 10-6 NJAC record that sees them tied for fourth place in the NJAC. They are coming off an NJAC sweep against New Jersey City with wins of 11-1 and 8-5 on Tuesday. Last season, TCNJ finished 23-15 and 15-3 in NJAC play. They entered the NJAC Tournament as the second seed, but were eliminated early with losses to Ramapo (4-2) and Kean (10-2). According to the 2026 NJAC Preseason poll, the Lions are the projected runners-up this season.

SERIES HISTORY
The Red Hawks and the Lions enter contests 148 and 149 in their longstanding rivalry that dates back to 1966. TCNJ owns the series at 96-49-2. They have also won the last six games and have won 13 of the last 14.

LAST MEETING
These two teams met last season on April 13, where TCNJ swept with wins of 5-1 and 10-2.

UP NEXT
Montclair qualified for the NJAC Tournament and will see how the seeding falls for the NJAC Quarterfinals on Tuesday, April 28. A time and a location will be determined after the games this weekend.