NEWARK, NJ – Rutgers-Newark senior righthander Tom Abair blanked Montclair State on five hits for seven innings as the Scarlet Raiders posted a 9-0 New Jersey Athletic Conference win in Bears & Eagles Riverfront Stadium. 

Rutgers-Newark 9, Montclair State 0

Abair (4-2) struck out four and walked four to share the shutout with freshman righthander Justin Szablicki and senior lefty closer Michael Hansen as the Scarlet Raiders (14-14, NJAC 5-3) got in to the thick of the NJAC race. The Red Hawks (15-8, NJAC 6-3) saw a 5-game winning streak snapped while Rutgers-Newark won its sixth straight contest.

Senior first baseman Matt Lingo went three for three with a solo home run in the second inning while rookie centerfielder Owen Harshaney drilled a two-run homer in the eighth inning.

Sophomore catcher Anthony Palladino roped a 2-run double down the leftfield line in the third to spark a 3-run Raider rally.

Junior centerfielder Michael Boggi was the only Red Hawk with two hits. 

Szablicki stranded a runner on third after giving up a 1-out single and uncorking a pair of wild pitches.  But he got a strikeout and a fly ball to centerfield to preserve the shutout before Hansen worked a 1-2-3 ninth inning.

Rutgers-Newark travels to league-leading Rowan while Montclair State hosts Richard Stockton on Saturday in a pair of NJAC doubleheaders. First pitch is set for 11:30 a.m. for each set.