Upper Montclair, NJ (03/22/03) - The Montclair State University softball team opened its 2003 home slate today with a 2-1 victory in 10 innings against visiting Bridgewater State (MA) College on the artificial turf at MSU's Sprague Field. The game, originally part of the 2003 Montclair/Kean Softball Classic, was shifted from MSU's Quarry Field due to the recent rains in the area. Montclair is now 11-0 this spring, and has won 15 straight games dating back to last season, while Bridgewater falls to 2-7 this year.

MSU sophomore NICOLE PACICCO (Tinton Falls, NJ) singled in junior STEPHANIE ROMANKO (North Brunswick, NJ) from second base for the winning run with two outs in the bottom of the 10th inning. The game was played with tiebreaker rules from the eighth inning on, with a runner placed on second base to start each extra inning.

The host Red Hawks had taken a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second stanza, as Romanko singled home sophomore MEGAN SWEENEY (Edison, NJ), who had originally doubled through the left side. Sweeney finished 2-for-4 at the plate.

BSC tied the game in the top of the fourth frame, stringing together a single, a double, and a bunt before sophomore NATALIE BARBANTI (Saugus, MA) scored via a fielder's choice to freshman ABIGAIL SCOTT (Southampton, MA)

Junior pitcher CRYSTAL SWEENEY (Edison, NJ) tossed all 10 innings for Montclair, striking out 12 batters and walking none in improving to 6-0 on the season. BSC freshman KAITLYN GAMBINO (Abington, MA) took the loss for the visiting Bears, walking four hitters and fanning three in 9.2 innings. MSU returns to action tomorrow at Quarry Field with a doubleheader against SUNY Cortland (11-1) beginning at 1:00 p.m.