Hoboken, N.J. – Sophomore Chip Kresehomered and drove in four runs as the Stevens Institute of Technology baseball team held on to defeat Montclair State University 6-4 in non-conference action on Tuesday.

Krese went 4-for-5 for Stevens (2-4), while Zach Stearns homered for Montclair (6-2).

HOW IT HAPPENED
After the Red Hawks were retired in order in the top of the first, Krese got the Ducks going, lifting a 2-0 pitch into right field for a leadoff home run. Victor Schilleci walked and moved to second on a one-out single by Eli Somers but was left stranded as the next two hitters were retired.

Stevens doubled its lead in the second when Colby Ching led off with a single. He advanced to second on a Dylan Fishbough groundout, moved to third on a passed ball, and came home on an RBI single from Krese.

Montclair threatened for the first time in the third, putting runners on the corners with two outs after a hit-by-pitch and a single through the right side. However, Jordan Fisse escaped unscathed as a groundout to first ended the inning.

The Red Hawks broke through for three runs in the fifth to take a 3-2 lead. With two men on and no outs, a run-scoring groundout plated the first run before Stearns lined a two-run home run to right field.

Montclair added a run in the top of the sixth, but Stevens quickly responded. Luke Mahala reached on a throwing error and moved to second as the ball evaded the first baseman. He advanced to third on a single from Frank Tonina and scored on Ching's sacrifice fly to right field, cutting the deficit to 4-3.

Montclair put runners on first and second in the seventh against Joe Gonzalez, but the right-hander struck out the first batter and then induced an inning-ending 6-4-3 double play to escape the jam.

The Ducks regained the lead in the eighth, scoring three times to go up 6-4. Somers and Mahala led off with singles, but a failed bunt attempt and a fielder's choice left Stevens with two outs and runners on first and third. Quinton Sterling then hit a grounder to third that was thrown away, allowing Somers to score the tying run. The inning continued as pinch-hitter Robert Savely worked a nine-pitch walk, loading the bases after fouling off four consecutive pitches. Krese broke the 4-4 deadlock, singling back through the middle to drive in Ching and Sterling.

Montclair made things interesting in the ninth against reliever Jacob Buurman. Buurman walked the first two hitters, and after a fielder's choice, loaded the bases with a hit-by-pitch. However, the graduate student recorded a strikeout for the second out and then induced a game-ending ground ball to short.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• Krese's leadoff home run was the first by a Duck since Michael Mule' led off a game against Ithaca on April 2, 2017.
• Krese set a career-high with four hits and matched his career-best with four RBIs, previously set against Arcadia on April 6, 2024.
• The Stevens bullpen tossed four innings, scattering two hits and allowing just one run.
• Fisse pitched five innings, allowing three runs on five hits while striking out three.
• David Finch recorded his first victory of the season, throwing one inning with one strikeout.
• Buurman picked up his 15th career save, moving into third place all-time on the program's saves list.

UP NEXT
The Ducks visit William Paterson on Friday in Wayne, N.J., with first pitch scheduled for 2:15 p.m.