Montclair, N.J. – Stockton University (2-2) played a doubleheader for the second straight day but dropped a pair of games to Montclair State (8-1) by scores of 7-4 and 10-8.
Marco Meleo (Freehold/Freehold Boro) rapped a team-high four hits on the day.
Meleo went 3-5 with two RBI, a double and a run in the opener.
John Perrino (Wall/Wall) and
Luke Fabrizzi (Old Bridge/Old Bridge) knocked two hits apiece, with Fabrizzi also scoring two runs and stealing two bases while Perrino added one stolen base.
Meleo scored on a wild pitch in the first inning and later stroked an RBI single that scored Fabrizzi in the fifth frame for a 2-0 lead. When
Nick Trifiletti (Linwood/Mainland) blasted a solo homer in the top of the sixth, the Ospreys were in front 3-0.
Montclair State scored seven runs in its next three offensive turns to surge ahead 7-3. Meleo singled home Fabrizzi again in the ninth inning but the Ospreys were unable to complete another last-chance rally and fell 7-4.
Starter
Rico Viani (Monroe Twp./Monroe Twp.) allowed two runs on six hits with three strikeouts in six innings pitched, but he was not involved in the decision.
In the nightcap,
Garrett DeMarrais (Oradell/River Dell) went 3-5 with a double, two RBI and a run while
Ryan O'Sullivan (Lacey Twp./Donovan Catholic) was 2-4 with a stolen base. The contest was back-and-forth, with each team scoring in five of its batting turns. Six of the 10 runs that the Red Hawks scored against four Stockton pitchers were unearned.
Montclair State began with two runs in the bottom of the first and Stockton responded with three scores in the top of the second to jump ahead 3-2. DeMarrais stroked an RBI single and sophomore
Mike Costanzo (Williamstown/Williamstown) followed with his first career home run.
The Red Hawks tied it again in the bottom half but Meleo led off the third stanza with a single and later scored on a wild pitch for a 4-3 Stockton edge. Montclair State sandwiched single runs in the fourth and sixth innings around an unearned run scored by Trifiletti in the top of the sixth, and the game was tied 5-5.
Stockton tallied two more unearned runs in the top of the seventh for a 7-5 lead but Montclair State came back with five runs in the eighth inning to go ahead 10-7. DeMarrais ripped an RBI double in the top of the ninth and the Ospreys had the tying run on second base with one out. The comeback try stalled as two strikeouts sealed the 10-8 setback.
After back-to-back doubleheaders, Stockton will have a week off before beginning NJAC play with a home twinbill against New Jersey City next Saturday, April 3 at 11:30 a.m.
