Montclair, NJ - The Montclair State University softball team enters the NJAC Tournament as the fifth seed and will seek to knock off fourth-seeded TCNJ on Tuesday.

GAME INFO
The matchup will be played at Dr. June Walker Field at 3:00 p.m. Live coverage links are available at montclairathletics.com. Tickets for the game will only be available for purchase online at njacsports.com/tickets. NO CASH tickets will be available for purchase at the venue. 

LAST TIME OUT
Montclair dropped its regular-season and Senior Day slate to TCNJ, 4-1 and 1-0 on Friday evening. After a scoreless first, TCNJ threatened first with a two-out double to right center, but stalled out. In the bottom of the third, ASHLEY PALMIERI singled through the right side and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by ZOE TURNER. JAYLA VASQUEZ singled through the left side to put runners on the corners with only one out, but TCNJ halted the Red Hawk push. The Lions took the lead in the top of the fourth. A fielding error in the outfield allowed a reach and an advance to second. A single through the left side put runners on the corners. The next ball was hit hard to MOLLY COLLIGAN, who made an acrobatic attempt to tag the runner going home, but just missed, and the runner was safe, giving TCNJ a 1-0 advantage. LIZ MULLEN and DYLAN BOLES hit back-to-back singles to start the top of the second, but Montclair was unable to move them any further. The Red Hawks tied the game at the bottom of the fifth. Turner and Vasquez each singled and moved to second and third on a sacrifice bunt by SOPHIA ALONSO. CARLEE IANNONE came through with a sacrifice fly that plated Turner for the tying run. TCNJ countered, regaining the advantage at the top of the sixth. The lead-off batter walked and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt. A single to left field once again put runners on the corners for an RBI single through the left side, and the Lions went up 2-1. In the top of the seventh, TCNJ extended the lead to 4-1. A lead-off single and a bunt single put two runners on. A fielder's choice once again put a runner on first and third. A pick off attempt at third let the runner on first get to second and set up a two-RBI single up the middle. Turner got on base on an error and got all the way to third, but Montclair was unable to plate any runs and fell in game one.
 
MONTCLAIR STATE (26-14, 11-7 NJAC) 2026 Stats

TCNJ (25-13, 12-6 NJAC) 2026 Stats
 
SCOUTING TCNJ
The Lions enter this quarterfinal matchup as the fourth seed with a 12-6 NJAC record and a 25-13 overall record. They are coming off the doubleheader sweep of the Red Hawks on Friday. 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 series enters the century-and-a-half mark this Tuesday. TCNJ owns the series at 98-49-2 and is the winner of the last eight showdowns and 15 of the last 16.

LAST MEETING
These two teams met this past Friday, where TCNJ came away with wins of 4-1 and 1-0.

UP NEXT
The winner of the matchup will head to top-seeded Stockton on Thursday, April 30, for a 3:00 p.m. face-off.