Visiting Montclair State used an 11-run fourth inning on Sunday and held off The University of Scranton, defeating the Royals 16-10 in a non-conference slugfest at Volpe Field as the two teams equally split 30 hits in the contest.

Freshman Tyler Kirsten (Wallenpaupack, Pa./Wallenpaupack Area) went 4-for-6 and scored two runs while junior Kevin Haag (Ossining, N.Y./Ossining/Bridgton Academy (Maine)) added three hits, including pair of doubles, while driving in four runs for Scranton, which fell to 0-2 on the season.

The Royals opened the scoring on Sunday with a pair of unearned runs in the bottom of the third, getting an RBI triple from sophomore Connor Harding (Vestal, N.Y./Vestal), who then came home on a run-scoring double from Haag.

The bats came alive for the Red Hawks (1-0) in the top of the fourth as the visitors plated 11 runs on eight hits, six of which went for extra-bases.

Scranton pulled to within 11-5 in the bottom of the fifth, but Montclair St. countered with a four-run sixth to open up a 15-5 advantage.

The Royals made things interesting in the home eighth by scoring five runs to make it a 15-10 ballgame before stranding a pair of runners in scoring position.  The Red Hawks then tacked on the game's final run in the top of the ninth to wrap up the scoring.

Harding and senior Ian McIntosh (Newtown, Pa./LaSalle College H.S.) had two hits apiece for Scranton, which used seven pitchers in the loss.

The Royals will host Arcadia in a non-conference game next Saturday starting at 11:30 a.m. at Volpe Field.

--ROYALS--