Little Falls, NJ - After Montclair State took a 4-0 lead in the top of the first inning Sunday afternoon in the championship game of the New Jersey Athletic Conference tournament, senior third baseman CRAIG CONWAY couldn't have been more relaxed.

Even with eight and a half innings still to play against The College of New Jersey, Conway, who earlier in the day found out his was voted as the conference's player of the year, knew his team was in prime position.

"We got those four runs and I was sitting in the dugout and somebody next to me said 'Come on guys, four is not enough,' " Conway said. "I was sitting next to SCOTT ALLAN and I said, 'Yes it is.' I just knew it was and I knew he was ging to pitch a great game for us."

Allan, MSU's crafty senior southpaw, didn't disappoint. He threw eight and a third innings, striking out eight Lions while surrendering only two runs on nine hits. He gave way to senior JIM WHALEN, who after entering the contest with one out in the ninth, induced a groundout to short and a pop out to first, finishing off MSU's three-game sweep of the double-elimination tournament with a 10-2 victory over the reigning tournament champs, TCNJ.

It was the Red Hawks' (30-9) first NJAC won on the field since 1994. In 1995 and 1998 they were handed the championship due to rainouts. If rain forced cancellation of the tournament, the conference title is awarded to the highest seed.

After finishing the conference regular season at 17-1 for the second straight year, winning the 2002 title was also sweet revenge for MSU. Last year, despite winning their third Division III National Championship, the Red Hawks had a sour taste in their mouths as a result of being swept our of the conference tournament in two games.

"Even though we won it all last year, we were kinda disappointed. There was a little smudge on our record," said junior right fielder CHRIS BARAN. "It's very satisfying that we pulled this off. "Hopefully it will continue and bring it on to the regions."

It didn't take lone for MSU to TCNJ who was boss on this day. After senior second baseman DAVE WURST led off the contest with a grounde out to short, Baran doubled and scored when Conway roped a doubled of his own to the gap in right-center.

"When I look for my pitch I'm going to be successful and that's what I did today. I was relaxed up there and not too aggressive," said Baran, who was 4-for-5, including a double and two RBI against TCNJ. "It builds more confidence and hopefully I can take that into the regions."

Junior shortstop BRIAN ELLERSON, playing with a brace on his left knee due to an ACL tear, nubbed a single to center putting runners on first and third, MSU head coach Norm Schoenig then put on a double steal and TCNJ catcher Sergio Cencion, a Paterson Catholic graduate, threw to second.

On the throw, Conway charged for home despite Cencion's toss being cutoff by junior shortstop Nick Stine, who gunned it back to the catcher. Cencion, however, couldn't handle the throw and the sliding Conway was safe.

After Allan flew ut to left, junior left fielder SEAN MORRISON kept the inning alive and sealed the fate of TCNJ freshman starter Matthew Szustowicz, with a two-run double to the corner in right field. Lions' head coach Rick Dell wasted no time yanking Szustowicz after two-thirds of an inning in favor of junior Nick Maddelena.

Maddelena, who pitched three scoreless innings against Ramapo Saturday afternoon and the final two innings against William Paterson that same ninght, was effective yet again. He retired 15 of the first 17 batters he faced and was excellent until the late innings, when he clearly tired out.

"Unfortunately, you are hoping you starter is going to get you three or four (innings) and keep you in the game. We gave up four so we had to go to him early," Dell said. "If we get Szustowicz to get us into the third or fourth, then all of a sudden Maddelena is pitching in the seventh and it's a different ball game."

TCNJ finally got on the board in the third inning when second baseman Joseph Bergondo led off with a double and scored on Stine's two-out double down the left field line.

Allan, however, continued to stymie the Lions and the Red Hawks finally broke through against Maddelena with a run in the seventh on Baran's third hit of the day.

"No matter who is one the mound, we are always going to try and create runs. But you always know that Scotty survives these situations," Schoenig said. "He's just a grinder and when it's game time and there's something to play for, he gets it done."

After TCNJ countered in the bottom half of that inning with their second and final run, MSU got the insurance they needed in the final two innings, scoring one run in the eighth and four more in the ninth.

With an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament now sealed, the Red Hawks can finally sit back, relax and enjoy this one. That is, of course, until they get back to work today in preparation for the Mid-Atlantic Regionals, which begin May 16.