MONTCLAIR STATE PICKED NO. 2 IN NJAC PRESEASON POLL

Montclair, NJ (2/22/08) – The Montclair State baseball team was picked to finish No. 2 in the New Jersey Athletic Conference Preseason Coaches Poll. The Red Hawks, who finished 24-18 last season, received four first-place votes and were picked behind defending NCAA Division III champion Kean University.

Following Montclair State in the poll was Rowan University, three-time defending league champion The College of New Jersey, darkhorse selection Richard Stockton, Ramapo, William Paterson, Rutgers-Camden, Rutgers-Newark and New Jersey City.

The Red Hawks placed third in the conference race with a 12-6 league mark and went 1-2 in the NJAC Tournament.

The longest-tenured NJAC baseball coach now in his 21st year at the helm of the Red Hawk program, Norm Schoenig has guided MSU to a 583-300-10 overall mark.

Montclair returns five all-conference players from its 2007 squad including senior outfielder Rob Bowness (Sparta, NJ / Seton Hall Prep), sophomore right-handed pitcher Jesus Castano (West New York, NJ / Memorial), senior first baseman Lou Politan (Livingston, NJ / Livingston), senior catcher Jeff Miller (Wyckoff, NJ / Ramapo), and senior right-handed pitcher Jairo Mendez (Kearny, NJ / Kearny).

Bowness earned his second straight All-NJAC selection last year as he finished second on the team with a .378 batting average in 40 games and led MSU with 39 runs scored and a team-leading 56 hits. In addition Bowness hit five triples and four home runs while driving in 24 RBI He led the team in hits with 56 and triples with five while also belting four home runs as well as recording multiple-hit contests with 17. Bowness also hit .404 with runners in scoring position and had 11 two-out RBI.

Castano had an outstanding first season for Montclair State as he earned three NJCBA Rookie Pitcher of the Week honors. The righthander was 4-0 in NJAC play with a 2.30 ERA and one complete game. In 31 1/3 innings he allowed 24 hits, struck out 18 and walked seven. Castano finished the year as the team leader in wins with seven (7-2) and a 2.90 ERA in 14 appearances. He surrendered 50 hits, struck out 38 and issued 16 walks in 59 innings.

Mendez returned to the MSU staff after missing all of last season with an injury. He was 3-1 in NJAC play with a 0.70 ERA and an outstanding strikeout-walk ratio of 25 to six while giving up 31 hits in 38.2 innings. Overall, Mendez led the staff with a 2.79 ERA and made nine starts, completing two of them. In 71 innings, he fanned 49 and issued nine walks.

Politan earned his first All-NJAC selection at first base in '07 as he led Montclair State in hitting with a career-best .388 average along with 30 RBI. The sure-handed Politan scored 39 runs and committed just three errors in 403 chances (.993). In league play, Politan hit .353 with 18 hits, four doubles and 11 RBI while also drawing 21 walks during NJAC play and 34 overall.

Miller earned his spot as a utility player. Joining the Red Hawks last season, Miller, who played catcher, designated hitter and outfield, led all MSU players in NJAC hitting .393 with four doubles and 16 RBI. Drawing 13 walks, Miller had 24 hits against conference competition. For the season, Miller hit .347 and was second on the Red Hawks with 31 RBI. He belted four home runs, which was tied for the team lead and swiped five bases in addition to having a slugging percentage of. 540.