Baseball

Montclair State Wins First NCAA Tournament Game Since 2008; Kean, Ramapo Open NCAA Play

Montclair, NJ – The Montclair State University Baseball team recorded its first NCAA Tournament victory since 2008, taking down Whitworth 10-5 on Friday afternoon at Yogi Berra Stadium to open their slate in the 2026 NCAA Division III Tournament.

HOW IT HAPPENED
  • The Red Hawks (31-9) escaped an early threat from the Pirates in the opening frame, as Colin Dowlen worked around two runners in scoring position by inducing a flyout for the final out of the first. Montclair broke the scoring open right after, as Zach Stearns was bit by a pitch and Chase Fischer drew a walk to put a pair of Red Hawks on with only one out. A groundout moved both into scoring position, with Danny O'Brien punching a single through the right side to plate a pair of tallies for the home side. Whitworth countered right away in the visiting half of the second, putting two in scoring position with a walk and hit batter, followed by a sacrifice bunt. A single up the middle during the ensuing at-bat brought in the equalizing pair of runs. 
  • Montclair broke through in the bottom of the fifth, kicking off the stanza with a leadoff double from Jared Levis. Two at-bats later, Fischer ripped a single to third base that plated Levis from second base, with Matt Kaliske notching a hit through the left side to put a duo of runners on with one out. O'Brien came through with another crucial hit during the next at-bat, singling down the right field line to drive in Fischer to increase the lead back to two. Immediately after, John Tomsho slotted a single through the right side to plate another marker to make the score 5-2. Later in the inning, Jaxon Grant recorded a pinch hit single to center field to bring in the final run of the frame to make the difference four after five.
  • An error to kick off the sixth placed a runner on second for Whitworth, as a wild pitch moved the runner to third with no outs. A sacrifice fly during the ensuing at-bat trimmed the deficit to 6-3, as Dowlen notched a strikeout and flyout to halt any potential rally from the Pirates. Whitworth continued their push into the seventh, using a ground-rule double to plate their fourth run of the day. Following a pitching change from the home side, the Pirates notched another sacrifice fly to cut the deficit to one. Montclair answered right away in the home half of the seventh, as O'Brien recorded another key hit to leadoff the frame with a double down the right field line. Dylan Briggs advanced the runner to third on a sacrifice bunt, with Michael Wansaw Jr. driving in O'Brien on a sacrifice fly to budge the lead back to two.
  • Patrick Teehan entered the game in the top of the eighth, setting down the side in order 1-2-3 to set the stage for another big inning from the Red Hawks. With two outs, Stearns singled to center field and advanced to second on a wild pitch, with Fischer notching another walk to put a pair of runners on. Kaliske tallied an infield single to load the bases for O'Brien, who cleared the diamond on a double to right center to vault the Red Hawks in front, 10-5. Whitworth used back-to-back singles with one out in the ninth to threaten, but Teehan struck out the next batter and induced a ground ball to end the contest and seal the postseason victory for Montclair.

INSIDE THE RESULTS
  • O'Brien had a career day at the plate, going 5-for-5 with six runs batted in on a pair of extra-base hits. He has tallied eight games during his freshman campaign with three or more hits, driving in three or more runs in seven contests.
  • Levis tallied a pair of hits for the day, reaching base safely in all 40 games this season. Wansaw extended his hitting streak to 13 games dating back to April 10, with Tomsho notching a hit in 26 of his 29 collegiate games.
  • Kaliske registered his 15th multi-hit performance of the year, with Stearns tallying his 15th. Fischer and Grant each recorded a hit and run batted in during the contest.
  • Dowlen notched his eighth victory of the season, tossing six and a third innings while striking out three batters. Teehan spun the final two frames of the afternoon for his seventh save of the year.
  • The Red Hawks tallied 10 runs for the afternoon, marking the 22nd time this season that they have reached double-digit run totals. Montclair has amassed double-digit hits in 28 games this season.
  • Montclair notched its 101st victory in the NCAA Division III Tournament and first since the 2008 campaign.
  • Since the start of the 2020 campaign, the Red Hawks are 93-26 at Yogi Berra Stadium, including a 18-4 mark this year.

FROM THE FIELD

"Today was a great win for the program, getting our first Regional victory since 2008. Credit to our offensive, we put together a solid day at the plate, led by Danny O'Brien. We will refocus for a tough test tomorrow against Endicott." - Head Coach Dave Lorber


UP NEXT

The Red Hawks will take on Endicott on Saturday, May 16 in the winner's bracket portion of the 2026 NCAA Division III Baseball Tournament Montclair Regional. First pitch from Yogi Berra Stadium is scheduled for 2:30 PM.
 

CLAREMONT-MUDD-SCRIPPS 8, KEAN 6

MEDFORD, MA --- The Staggs used a four-run eighth inning to push past Kean University, 8-6 in the opening round of the NCAA Tufts regional tournament.
 
With the loss, the Cougars will face Mitchell College on Saturday at 11 a.m. in an elimination contest.  Claremont-Mudd-Scripps advances to take on host Tufts at 2:30 p.m.
 
Kean scratched across the game's first run in the second as Dan Reistle singled home JT Abrusci.
 
The Staggs tied things up in the fourth with an RBI single and took a 2-1 lead in the fifth as Bryce Didrickson hit a solo homer, adding the 93rd homer to the CMS log for the season.
 
The Cougars regained the lead in the fifth as Justin Teixeira reached on an error (one of six for CMS on the day), helping Nick Sellari to score.  Tyler Stone lofted a sac fly to put the score at 3-2 and Brett Hilsheimer walked with the bases loaded to extend the lead, 4-2.
 
CMS tied things up in the see-saw battle in their half of the seventh with an RBI fielder's choice and on an error.
 
The Staggs took the lead for good in the eighth as Didrickson homered for the second time in the contest, this time a two-run blast.  CMS added two more on a fielder's choice and a mistimed infield popup.
 
Kean got two back in the same frame, but Jacob Young entered and shut down the remaining threat with two strikeouts.
 

DESALES 12, RAMAPO 7

CENTER VALLEY, PA --- The #2 seed DeSales University baseball team held off a late-inning comeback by #3 seeded Ramapo College in the first round of the NCAA Regional this afternoon. The Bulldogs (34-12 overall) advances with a 12-7 win to take on #1 seed Salve Regina University tomorrow afternoon while the Roadrunners (29-13 overall) will play in an elimination game against #4 seeded Marymount University (VA).
 
The Bulldogs built a nine-run lead after four complete innings before Ramapo got on the board in the top of the fifth. The Roadrunners got RBI singles from Braden Schappert and Zach Novakowski to plate to put the team on the board. DeSales got those two runs back as they scored one in the fifth and one in the sixth to take a 12-2 lead.
 
In the eighth, Nick Pellegrino singled before Julian Schultz walked. Eric Knapp then laced a double down the right field line to plate Pellegrino. Jack Tallent drove in Schultz with an RBI single to center field for the team's fourth run. Zach Barbash belted his second home run of the season with a three-run home run over the left field fence to plate three more runs for the Roadrunners. Pinch hitter Dan Maglio doubled down the left field line before being lifted for pinch-runner Casey Chiola. Julian Caruso was hit by a pitch to put two runners on before the Bulldogs got the first out of the inning. A ground out moved them up one base before DeSales got out of the jam with a fly ball out as the Bulldogs held a 12-7 lead.
 
Michael Hooker (9-1 overall) earned the win on the mound for DeSales as he struck out two, walked one and surrendered seven hits and two unearned runs in seven innings of work. JT Anderosky finished 4-4 with three runs scored and two RBI while Bobby Dingell and John Rodrick each collected two hits and two runs scored.
 
For the Roadrunners, John Hacker (7-2 overall) took the loss on the mound in four innings of work. He struck out two, walked one and surrendered seven hits and ten runs (six unearned). Joe Micchio worked the final four innings for Ramapo as he struck out four, walked three and let up four hits and two runs. Tallent led the Roadrunners finishing 3-5 at the plate with one run and one RBI while Schappert and Knapp each collected two hits.
 
Ramapo will return to action tomorrow morning when they take on Marymount University (VA) in an elimination game at 11:00am.