Montclair, NJ – Sophomore JORDEN JURKIEWICZ hit for the cycle and ANTHONY GUARINO delivered the go-ahead sacrifice fly in the eighth inning as Montclair State knocked off Manhattanville, 8-7 to complete a doubleheader sweep at Yogi Berra Stadium on Sunday.
Senior JOE NORTON set the career stolen base record in the opener for the Red Hawks, who posted an 8-1 victory. Montclair improved to 13-5 on the season.
Montclair trailed 7-2 heading into the bottom of the seventh but immediately got a run on the board as Jurkiewicz blasted a solo homer, his seventh of the season. ANDREW OLLWERTHER and Guarino were hit by pitches around a pair of outs. Max McLoighlin came through with an RBI single as MSU pulled within 7-4.
Reliever DARREN GONZALEZ set the Valiants down in order in the ninth setting the stage for Montclair's four-run rally. Norton led off with a single and went to second on a wild pitch before coming home on Jurkiewicz's RBI double. MICHAEL MURPHY followed with a run-scoring single and he would tied it up at 7-7 crossing the plate on an error. Two batters later, Guarino lofted a sac fly to left field giving the Red Hawks a one-run lead.
Sophomore JACK HAVESON made the hold up as he retired the side in the ninth for his fourth save of the year. Gonzalez (2-0) picked up his second victory in relief as he went 2 2/3 shutout innings, striking out two before giving way to Haveson.
Jurkiewicz finished 4-for-5 at the plate with McLoughlin and JOE GISONDA each going 2-for-4.
The Red Hawks jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first inning of the opener. Norton reached on an error and promptly stole second and third base, the latter the 69th of his career, surpassing the MSU mark of 68 set by Dave Wurst from 1998-01. He would scored on an infield single by Jurkiewicz.
MILES FEASTER made it 2-0 in the second with a run-scoring single and an RBI ground out by Norton extended the lead to. MSU plated three runs in the fourth as Norton singled home RYAN MCKENNA and PETER COSENTINO delivered Norton with a triple. Jurkiewicz's RBI single made the scored, 6-0.
The Valiants would get a run back in the sixth, but the Red Hawks put the game away with two runs in the seventh. Ollwerther had an RBI single with Gisonda doubling in MICHAEL MURPHY for the 8-1 advantage.
Freshman MATT PONTARI earned the victory as he allowed a run and three hits in 5 2/3 innings. He struck out eight and walked one. Righthander NICHOLAS SEFICK recorded the final 10 outs to earn his first save.
Jurkiewicz was 4-for-5 with Fester finishing with two hits.
The Red Hawks are back in action on Wednesday, March 23 on the road at Drew University for a 3:30 pm matchup with the Rangers.