Wayne, NJ – The #21 Montclair State University Baseball team was edged by William Paterson 16-14 on Friday afternoon.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Red Hawks (19-5, 3-1 NJAC) fell behind in the first inning on a solo home run from the Pioneers, but the visitors countered immediately in the second inning. CHASE FISCHER doubled down the left field line to kick off the stanza, as he would come around to score on a fielder's choice and groundout. Montclair surged ahead a frame later, loading the bases right away on hits from JARED LEVIS and BILLY TIGAR and a hit-by-pitch from ZACH STEARNS. In the ensuing at-bat, DANNY O'BRIEN ripped a double down the right field line to plate a pair of markers. After Fischer drew a walk, MATT KALISKE notched a sacrifice fly to make the score 4-1. William Paterson got within one in the home half on a single through the right side and a sacrifice fly.
• Montclair put together an offensive surge in the top of the fifth, placing two in scoring position on an O'Brien walk and Fischer double. A wild pitch plated O'Brien, and a JOHN TOMSHO double to left field nudged the margin to 6-3. MICHAEL WANSAW JR. drove in a pair of runs during the next at-bat on a single, advancing to second on the throw. Later in the fifth, Levis doubled to left center to push the lead to six. The final tally of the frame came with a sacrifice fly from O'Brien to put Montclair in double-figures. A sacrifice fly and RBI double from the Pioneers trimmed the score to 10-6 after five full innings of play.
• A pair of hits from Kaliske and Wansaw put two on with one out in the sixth, and after LUKAS EGENHAUSER reached on a fielder's choice, Levis punched a single through the right side to increase the lead back to five. After a pitching change, Stearns notched a single to right field to plate Montclair's 12th run of the day. A single through the left side with two on in the bottom of the sixth brought in a run for the Pioneers, with a home run during the next at-bat cutting the game to 12-10. A wild pitch a few at-bats later trimmed the difference to one with three innings to play. 
• The Red Hawks reopened a three-run lead in the top of the seventh, as a Kaliske double and JAXON GRANT single put runners on the corners with one out. DYLAN BRIGGS entered the game to pinch run and promptly stole second base, allowing two runs to come home on a double to left center from Wansaw. William Paterson rallied in their half of the seventh, putting two runners in scoring position with one out, with a single to center field plating a pair of markers to cut the gap to one. The Pioneers recorded a double during the next at-bat to equalize, as they would take the lead on a double following another walk. The final tally of the stretch came right after on a single through the left side to make the score 16-14. Montclair placed runners on in each of the final two frames, but could not rally back as William Paterson sealed the victory.

INSIDE THE RESULTS

• Levis matched his career-high of four hits, driving in a pair of runs in the process. He has recorded a hit in each of his last seven games, totaling 14 during that stretch.
• Wansaw plated a career-best four runs on a trio of hits, his fourth performance of the season with at least three.
• Stearns extended his hitting streak to 11 games dating back to March 15, with Kaliske and Fischer also tallying multi-hit days. 
• O'Brien matched his career-high of three runs batted in, a mark he has reached five times this year. He has collected 12 RBI over his last five games.
• Tomsho recorded his second-straight game driving in a pair of runs, notching a hit in 14 of his 16 collegiate games.
• The Red Hawks have recorded double-digit hits in 18 contests while scoring 10 or more runs 16 times this season. They finished the day with 14 runs on 17 hits.

FROM THE BALLPARK

"Games with an offensive output like that are critical to come away with a victory." - Head Coach Dave Lorber

UP NEXT

The Red Hawks will return home to host #7/#9 Rowan for a doubleheader on Saturday, April 4. First pitch from Yogi Berra Stadium is scheduled for 11:30 AM.