Little Falls, NJ (04/22/04) - MSU junior third base KARI MCDONNELL (Wrightstown, NJ) finished 4-for-5 with a home run, three runs batted in and two runs scored as Montclair State University swept Hunter College, 4-3 and 6-0, in a softball doubleheader tonight at the new MSU Softball Stadium.

Montclair State is now 26-6 overall, having won ten consecutive contests, and is 15-1 in non-conference games this year, including 6-0 versus CUNY schools. MSU is also 10-2 overall at home in its new facility which opened back on March 27, having won its last eight home games. Hunter falls to 15-14 overall.

Hunter took a 3-0 lead in the opener, using two hits and two MSU errors in the second inning. Freshman outfielder Luigina Gutierrez (Bronx, NY) drove in two Hawk runs with a double down the left field line with two outs, and then came home herself on a bunt by junior center fielder Shani Espinal (Bronx, NY).

MSU would get two runs back in the bottom of the second off two hits and two errors, with senior right fielder ALLISON KREISS (Lakewood, NJ) singling up the middle and eventually scoring on a dropped sacrifice fly to right by freshman catcher MEGAN TANTUM (Ewing, NJ) for the Red Hawks' first run. Sophomore second base NICOLE PACICCO (Tinton Falls, NJ) got aboard on an error, stole second, moved to third and then scored on a single by junior center fielder JOELLE FATA (Bloomfield, NJ), before MSU flied out to center and then grounded to short to end the inning a run down.

The lead would hold up until the bottom of the fifth, when McDonnell launched a two-run home run to left, her eighth homer of the year, to give the Red Hawks their first lead as they held on for their ninth straight win.

MSU senior pitcher CRYSTAL SWEENEY (Edison, NJ) improved to 14-4, striking out nine batters and walking one while surrendering three hits and no earned runs. Sophomore hurler Joanna Lore (Staten Island, NY) fell to 11-8 for the Hawks, allowing eight hits and four earned runs. McDonnell finished 2-for-3 with a run and two RBIs.

MSU took a 2-0 lead in the nightcap in the bottom of the third when senior shortstop DIANA AUTERI (Lyndhurst, NJ) walked and sophomore pitcher ATHANASIA TOTARO (Roseland, NJ) made it to first on a sacrifice-fielder's choice. The runners advanced to second and third, respectively, before McDonnell singled to load the bases. Senior first base DANA SPRAGUE (N. Arlington, NJ) then doubled to right to score two runs.

MSU would later increase its lead to 5-0 in the fourth, using three hits, two walks and two Hunter errors. Pacicco walked after a dropped foul ball, Fata singled down the left line and Auteri singled up the middle to score Pacicco from second. Totaro reached on an error to load the bases, McDonnell walked to score Fata, and then Sprague then singled in Auteri, giving Sprague 15 RBIs in her last eight outings.

McDonnell added a run in the bottom of the sixth, singling to left, advancing to third on two wild pitches, and scoring on an error.

Totaro tossed a one-hitter with seven strikeouts in improving to 11-2, while Espinal fell to 3-6 for the Hawks, allowing eight hits while fanning three.

Prior to the first game, Montclair honored its five-member senior class of Auteri, Kreiss, Sprague, Sweeney, and Diana Petronaci (Brick, NJ), who have led the Red Hawks to 128 total wins and three straight ECAC Division III South crowns.

MSU closes out the 2004 NJAC regular season on Saturday when it hosts Rowan University at 1:00 p.m. Rowan stands in second place in the New Jersey Athletic Conference at 12-4, just one game ahead of MSU (11-5). The top four teams in the conference will qualify for the 2004 NJAC Championships, which begin on Thursday, April 29, at the site of the number-one seed.