Little Falls, NJ (3/30/05) - The Montclair State softball team returned to action for the first time in two weeks with a doubleheader sweep of Drew University this afternoon at the MSU Softball Stadium.

Montclair State won its home openers by 7-5 and 4-1 counts to improve to 9-1 overall, while Drew fell to 8-4 on the year. It was the first time MSU had played since splitting a doubleheader with seventh-ranked Wheaton (MA) College in Fort Myers, Florida on March 16. It was also the first meeting between these two schools since MSU topped Drew, 4-2, back on March 10, 2003, also in Fort Myers.

Drew took a 5-4 lead in the top of the fifth inning in the opener today after MSU had jumped out to a 4-0 lead, but the Red Hawks came back with three runs in the bottom of the fifth for the win. Junior pitcher ATHANASIA TOTARO earned her fifth victory of the season (5-0) for the Red Hawks, striking out five batters while allowing five walks and four earned runs over seven innings. Senior second base NICOLE PACICCO batted 2-for-4 for Montclair, scoring two runs while driving in two runs with a home run in the second inning, her team-best fourth homer this spring. Junior shortstop Jennifer McGroarty drove in three runs for the Rangers on a fourth-inning double to tie the game. Senior pitcher Alison Robbins took the loss for Drew on 12 hits, five earned runs and two walks in six innings.

Drew took a 1-0 lead in the top of the fourth in the nightcap, but MSU came back to tie the game later that frame on a solo home run by sophomore catcher MEGAN TANTUM, her first of the season. The Red Hawks then added two runs in the fifth inning and one in the sixth to seal the sweep, as freshman pitcher DANA WARNOCK earned her fourth win by allowing just one earned run and one walk while striking out eight batters in seven innings. Totaro went 2-for-4 at the plate and scored a run for MSU, while McGroarty drove in Drew's only run of the second contest. Sophomore hurler Dayna Yorks suffered the loss on four hits and three earned runs with eight walks and two strikeouts in pitching the first 4.1 innings. It was Montclair State's fourth straight victory over Drew dating back to a 4-1 triumph in the 2002 ECAC Division III South Championship game held here at MSU.

Montclair State now hosts Hunter College in a single contest tomorrow night at 7:00 p.m., while Drew will face DeSales (PA) on Saturday, April 2, at 1:00 p.m. in Madison, NJ.