Montclair, NJ (4/8/04) - The Montclair State University softball team improved to 11-1 in non-conference games this year with a sweep of John Jay (NY) College today in the rain at MSU Softball Stadium.

Montclair State took the opener by a 10-0 score, before claiming the nightcap by a 4-1 count. MSU, which racked up a total of 16 hits on the afternoon, improves to 16-4 overall this spring, while John Jay falls to 8-9.

It was also the first sweep ever by the Red Hawks at their new home, where they have gone 4-2 since the opening back on March 27.

Junior second base NICOLE PACICCO (Tinton Falls, NJ/Monmouth Regional) batted 2-for-2, singling in a run in the second inning as the Red Hawks took a 3-0 lead. Sophomore right fielder TIFFANY ACIZ (Secaucus, NJ/Secaucus) singled in a pair of runs with two outs in the third inning to stretch MSU's advantage to 5-0, while senior first base DANA SPRAGUE (North Arlington, NJ/North Arlington) launched a three-run home run to left field in the bottom of the fourth inning of the opener to start a five-run MSU fourth inning en route to an 8-0 lead.

Junior centerfielder JOELLE FATA (Bloomfield, NJ/Bloomfield) doubled in the last two Red Hawk runs with two outs in the bottom of the fourth.

MSU senior pitcher CRYSTAL SWEENEY (Edison, NJ/Edison) improved to 9-3 this spring after pitching her second no-hitter of the season, a nine-strikeout, one-walk effort. Bloodhounds' senior pitcher Liz Amato (North Babylon, NY) took the loss, surrendering seven earned runs to go with five walks and three strikeouts.

Montclair took a 1-0 lead in the rematch when senior shortstop DIANA AUTERI (Lyndhurst, NJ/St. Mary's) singled to right field and later scored off an error. Auteri later tripled in the bottom of the third, the first triple ever hit at MSU Softball Stadium, and finished 3-for-3 with two runs, an RBI and a stolen base. MSU sophomore pitcher KRISTIN GERVASIO (Mendham, NJ/Randolph) picked up her first career decision and victory on the strength of six strikeouts while permitting just two hits and one walk.

Amato finished with one strikeout, three walks and two earned runs in six innings, while sophomore right fielder Jennifer Rodriguez (Queens, NY) went 1-for-1 at the plate and scored John Jay's only run on the day. The

Red Hawks return to New Jersey Athletic Conference action on Saturday, April 10, when they visit The College of New Jersey at 1:00 p.m. in Ewing. John Jay visits CUNY rival Hunter College on Tuesday, April 13, starting at 11:00 a.m.