Fort Myers, FL (03/16/03) - The Montclair State University softball team is now 8-0 on the year after winning two more games at the 2003 Gene Cusic Classic. The Red Hawks rallied to edge Wheaton (IL) College, 2-1, before shutting out Norwich (VT) College, 9-0, for their fourth whitewash of the week.

Senior outfielder ALLISON KREISS (Lakewood, NJ) plated the wining run for the Red Hawks in the top of the sixth inning against Wheaton as MSU went to 7-0 on the year. It was Kreiss' 14th career run in three seasons, and her second game-winning run in MSU's last three games. MSU, which trailed, 1-0, after five innings after a third-inning score by the opposing Thunder, tied the game when junior designated player base DANA SPRAGUE (North Arlington, NJ) scored sophomore second base NICOLE PACICCO (Tinton Falls, NJ) with a single. Pacicco batted 3-for-4 herself, while Kreiss pinch-ran for Sprague and scored off a single up the middle by Montclair starting pitcher ATHANASIA TOTARO (Roseland, NJ). Sprague finished 2-for-3 while Totaro lasted four innings, allowing just five hits and one earned run in addition to walking two batters and striking out three. Freshman righthander KERRY LEE (Florence, NJ) collected the win after throwing the last 2.1 innings, surrendering two hits while striking out one. Each team managed seven hits on the morning.

Montclair used a six-run third inning to blow open a 1-0 game en route to shutting out the opposing Cadets. It was MSU's eighth win in eight games this year, and 12th straight dating back to last season, when the Red Hawks won their third consecutive ECAC Division III South title. Junior pitcher CRYSTAL SWEENEY (Edison, NJ) pitched another complete-game shutout in improving to 4-0 this spring, permitting just four hits in five innings while walking two Cadet batters and fanning three others. Junior shortstop DIANA AUTERI (Lyndhurst, NJ) opened the bottom of the third inning with a lead-off inside-the park home run to left field to put MSU up, 2-0. It was the second career homer for Auteri, who finished 2-for-3 with two runs. Senior outfielder VALERIE TAURIELLO (Newark, NJ) followed up with a three-run inside-the-park shot of her own, her first career homer, to put Montclair up, 7-0. Pacicco was 2-for-3, as were sophomore third base KARI McDONNELL (Wrightstown, NJ), senior catcher TONYA BARNES (Mechanicsville, VA) and Totaro. Sophomore left field MEGAN SWEENEY (Edison, NJ) batted 2-for-2 with a run and an RBI, while Paccicco scored twice and McDonnell belted a triple.

Montclair State is off tomorrow before concluding the Classic on Saturday morning against Bethany (WV) and Lakeland (WI) at the Cape Coral Complex.