Senior infielder Melany Zeller at bat during the Red Hawks’ final game of the season.
Photo Credit: Montclair State Athletics
The Montclair State softball team probably won’t consider this one of their best years in terms of their record. What they can say is that this group fought until the end.
The Red Hawks ended their season at 13-22 overall and 5-13 in the New Jersey Athletic Conference. They finished tied for seventh in the conference with Stockton and Rutgers-Newark.
The Red Hawks hosted The College of New Jersey at the MSU Softball Stadium for an NJAC doubleheader on April 24. Junior pitcher/captain Brooke Powers allowed three runs, six hits and struck out two.
Freshman infielder Alana Luna homered for Montclair State in the fifth inning to tie the game 1-1 at that point. Senior infielder Brianna Davidson had a double in the sixth to drive in the Red Hawks’ other run. Freshman infielder Noel Hodgins finished the game with two hits.
The Red Hawks never found their groove in the second game and lost 11-5. Powers surrendered 11 runs, 14 hits and one walk. She led the offense with two RBIs and one hit. Luna, Hodgins, infielder Melissa Rustemeyer and outfielder Lauren Guillen each had two hits in the contest. Davidson was responsible for Montclair State’s other RBI.
The next day, April 25, Montclair State closed out their NJAC schedule at Kean University. Although the Red Hawks fought tough, it was like déjà vu, as they lost the first game 3-2. Powers gave up three runs on eight hits and struck out one. Powers and Guillen provided the offense with two hits and one RBI apiece. Guillen and Hodgins each scored a run for MSU.
In the second match, Montclair State could not put enough consecutive hits together and lost 8-1. Powers was charged with eight runs, 12 hits and three walks. Davidson had a great second game, going 3 for 3 and scored on the Red Hawks’ only run. Powers tallied another two hits for herself in Game 2. Rustemeyer drove in Montclair State’s lone RBI.
The Red Hawks closed out their season at home on Tuesday, April 28 with a one-game contest against the DeSales Bulldogs. MSU fought valiantly on their Senior Day, but lost 5-4. Powers allowed five runs on 10 hits and struck out two. Powers’ final record at the end of the season was 11-18. Powers and senior infielder/captain Melany Zeller each had one hit and two RBIs. Hodgins and Luna both had solid games with two hits each.
Head coach Anita Kubicka was very reflective on this season. She knows that her team will be better in the future and that you have your good years and your bad years.
“The season has been complicated,” said Kubicka. “A lack of experience and multiple injuries have hampered our ability to play consistent, errorless softball. I do not think our sub .500 win-loss record is a lack of effort. I believe it’s due to a lack of consistency and composure.”
