Little Falls, NJ (04/21/02) - The Montclair State University softball team entertained the Bloomfield College Deacons today in a non-conference doubleheader at Quarry Field, winning 4-1 and 10-2. Montclair has now won 12 straight contests, dating back to April 10, and is 25-9 overall so far this spring.

MSU took a 1-0 lead in the opener in the bottom of the second inning when freshman NICOLE PACICCO (Tinton Falls, NJ) doubled to center field with two outs, scoring junior SHANNA LeCOMPTE (Lakewood, NJ), who had walked, from first base. Montclair averted disaster in the top of the third inning when Bloomfield positioned its first two runners on second and third base via a bunt and a double, before the Red Hawks came up with three consecutive outs. MSU then made it a 3-0 game in the bottom of the third when freshman KARI McDONNELL (Wrightstown, NJ) belted a two-run home run to left center with no outs. It was McDonnell's 10th homer of the campaign, and also gave her 37 RBIs this spring.

The Deacons stymied MSU later on that inning when the Red Hawks loaded the bases, and trimmed the home team's lead to 3-1 in the top of the sixth when freshman AMANDA RUSTICUS (Hawthorne, NJ) walked, took second on a wild pitch, and scored on a single by junior BARBARA IHRIG (Toms River, NJ) that went through the right side. The host Red Hawks then made it 4-1 in the bottom of the sixth when they loaded the base and LeCompte scored McDonnell from third on a sacrifice fly to left field.

Senior pitcher TARA TODARO (Lodi, NJ) raised her season record to 12-4 with the win, allowing six hits while striking out six BC batters. Todaro, the lone ascending senior on this year's MSU team, was honored in a pre-game ceremony, and now boasts 40 career wins, 36 complete games pitched, and 319 strikeouts in her four-year career. Bloomfield took a 2-0 lead in the first inning of the rematch, scoring on three singles and one MSU error. Montclair then tied the game in the bottom of the first frame, on three hits and one BC error. MSU also loaded the bases with two outs, but couldn't get the go-ahead run until the bottom of the second inning when the Red Hawks scored four times. Junior STEPHANIE ROMANKO (N. Brunswick, NJ) doubled to right center, scoring both CRYSTAL SWEENEY (Edison, NJ) and sophomore shortstop DIANA AUTERI (Lyndhurst, NJ), who had singled and doubled, respectively. Romanko later scored, as did sophomore MEGAN SWEENEY (Edison, NJ), who had singled to get on base, to make it 6-2. MSU then scored four times in the fifth inning, off four hits and a sacrifice fly, to end the contest.

Romanko went 4-for-4 in Game Two, scoring three runs and batting in two others, while Auteri was 3-for-3 with three runs and an RBI. CRYSTAL SWEENEY improved to 13-5 on the year, scattering three hits and striking out four.