The Montclair State University baseball and softball teams both enjoyed their spring break as they contended in games away from home.
While the students went home and persevered through a snowstorm, the teams took their talents down south to Virginia and Florida to start their seasons.
The baseball team started their season first, opening their play in Fredericksburg, Virginia and splitting the four games they played there against the University of Mary Washington. Montclair State won the first two games and dropped the final two.
The baseball team then met up in Florida, where the softball team started their season. The two teams each played in different tournaments while down in Florida. The baseball team played in the Russmatt Central Florida Invitational in Auburndale, Florida, while the softball team played in the Sunkissed Games in Kissimmee, Florida.
Last season featured similar starts to each team’s season, with the softball and baseball teams going to Florida during the spring break to start their season. Unlike last year, the two teams got off to much better starts, as the baseball team returned home with a 8-3 record and the softball team came home barring a 6-4 record. Last year the baseball teams returned with only two wins and the softball team split their ten games evenly.
While in Auburndale, the baseball team only lost one game, against Fontbonne University on March 8, while winning the other six. The baseball team swept a doubleheader against Penn State Altoona 1-0 and 11-1. The team allowed three hits in each game. Montclair State also clocked in 14 hits against Penn State Abington in a 5-0 victory. The Red Hawks also went on to beat Rhode Island College 12-6, Central College 8-4 and Nebraska Wesleyan University 7-1 to close out their games in Auburndale.
The softball team started their season with an impressive 6-1 start, only losing to Aurora University in a close 6-5 loss. The Red Hawks started their season, however, with a dominating 10-1 victory in five innings against Thiel College. The softball team, following the loss, grabbed five in a row before riding a three-game losing streak which they brought back home.
The baseball team opens play back in New Jersey in neutral territory, as they play in Flemington, New Jersey against State University of New York at Old Westbury on Thursday, March 15. The softball team was supposed to open their season at home against Drew University in a doubleheader on Thursday, but snowy weather postponed the game to Tuesday, April 3. Softball’s new home opener will be against DeSales University on Saturday, March 17.
