Little Falls, NJ (3/20/10) – Sophomore lefthander Sean Hille (Edison, NJ / St. Joseph’s (Metuchen)) fired a complete-game three hitter as Montclair State made a successful home debut in the 2010 season as the Red Hawks knocked off No. 8 Rensselaer 5-2 at Yogi Berra Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

Junior catcher Mike Ercolano (Vernon, NJ/ Vernon) had three hits and drove in a run as the Red Hawks improved to 5-3 in taking the first game of the weekend series between the teams. The two squads will meet again on Sunday, March 21 at 1:00 pm.

Senior catcher Patrick Reardon (Troy, NY / LaSalle Institute) drove in one of the two runs for the Engineers, who fell to 6-2 on the young season. RPI was playing is first game since returning home from its Florida trip on March 13.

Hille moved to 3-0 on the season as he faced just three batters over the minimum. The southpaw struck out eight and did not walk a batter. He retired the first 10 batters straight before allowing a one-out double to Jonny Rio (Maplewood, NJ/ Columbia) in the fourth. Reardon would follow with a triple to deep right center as RPI got on the board. Camden Mamigonian (Dover, NH / Dover) added a sacrifice fly as the Engineers pulled within 3-2.

Hille would settle down the rest of the way allowing just one more runner to reach second base. Rio reached on a fielder’s choice with one out in the sixth and stole second but was stranded as the next hitter grounded out. In the seventh Mamigonian singled to open the inning however a double play grounder ended that threat. Hille retired the side in order in the eighth and ninth innings.

Meanwhile the Red Hawks gave Hille some early support as it scored once in the second. Jason Chesterman (Bloomfield, NJ / Bloomfield) singled with two outs and moved to second on a passed ball before coming around to score on Ercolano’s RBI base hit to right field. Montclair extended the lead to 3-0 in the third. Scott Evangelist (Northfield, NJ / Holy Spirit) walked with one out and a fielding error allowed Adam Bergman (Berkeley Heights, NJ / Gov. Livingston) to reach. Michael Boggi (Towaco, NJ / Montville) singled to right field to bring home Evangelist and Bergman crossed the plate when Chesterman drove a ball through the right side for a base hit.

After RPI cut the lead to one, Montclair answered in its half of the fourth as Andrew Himmelfarb (Nyack, NY / Nyack) singled to center scoring Mickey McGraw (Morristown, NJ / Morristown).

The Red Hawks added an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth. McGraw singled and went across the diamond on a pair of ground outs before scoring on Evangelist’s single through the right side.

Senior Andrew Mondo (Clifton Park, NY / Shenendehowa) took the loss for the Engineers allowing 11 hits and four runs (one earned) in seven innings of work. He fanned four and walked five, falling to 2-1 on the season.

Himmelfarb, Evanglist, McGraw and Chesterman each had two hits for MSU, which collected 13 in the contest.