Camden, NJ (04/17/04) - Montclair State University swept host Rutgers-Camden in a New Jersey Athletic Conference softball doubleheader today at Rutgers-Camden Community Park, winning by 3-0 and 2-0 scores.

Montclair State, which has won four straight, improves to 20-6 overall and 7-5 in the NJAC, while R-C falls to 23-6 and 8-4, respectively.

The opener was scoreless through seven innings until going to tiebreaker rules in the eighth, with a runner placed on second to start each inning. MSU then loaded the bases using a walk and single, and scored three runs on a double to left center by senior first base DANA SPRAGUE (North Arlington, NJ/North Arlington) to take a 3-0 lead.

The Red Hawks then held on in the bottom half of the eighth, using a double-play to help secure their sixth shutout this spring and snap the Scarlet Raptors' five-game winning string. It was the first extra-inning game of the year for Rutgers-Camden, and the third for Montclair State (2-1).

Scarlet Raptor sophomore pitcher Michelle Schlichtig (Barrington, NJ/Haddon Heights) six-hit Montclair and struck out 11 Red Hawk batters while surrendering just two walks in falling to 13-4. MSU senior pitcher CRYSTAL SWEENEY (Edison, NJ/Edison) improved to 11-4, allowing five hits and four walks while tossing five strikeouts to move into a first-place tie with Robyn Baron (1989-92) for the all-time MSU career lead with 377 strikeouts. In the nightcap,

MSU took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the third as sophomore thrower ATHANASIA TOTARO (Roseland, NJ/West Essex) walked with the bases loaded, after the Red Hawks had collected two hits and a walk with one out.

The Red Hawks then made it 2-0 when junior third base KARI MCDONNELL (Wrightstown, NJ/N. Burlington) scored on a passed ball. The Scarlet Raptors loaded the bases in the top of the fifth on three singles, but came up empty.

Rutgers-Camden junior hurler Becky Johnson (Bridgeton, NJ/Cumberland Regional) fell to 10-2 despite allowing just three hits and two walks while fanning five. Totaro improved to 8-2 with a seven-hitter, striking out six while issuing zero walks.

Montclair State visits Rutgers-Newark tomorrow while Rutgers-Camden hosts The College of New Jersey, both NJAC doubleheaders starting at 1:00 p.m.