Little Falls, NJ (04/07/05) - Junior pitcher/designated hitter ATHANASIA TOTARO (Roseland, NJ) tossed a nine-strikeout victory in the opener and batted in five runs with two homers altogether as the Montclair State University softball team ended a two-game winless string with today's doubleheader sweep of John Jay College at the MSU Softball Stadium. Montclair State won by 8-2 and 11-0 scores to improve to 12-4 overall this season, while John Jay dropped to 5-13 on the year.

Totaro batted 4-for-7 on the day, as did senior 3B KARI MCDONNELL (Wrightstown, NJ) who recorded three RBIs. Montclair senior 2B NICOLE PACICCO (Tinton Falls, NJ) finished 3-for-5 with four runs and two RBIs, while senior OF JOELLE FATA (Bloomfield, NJ) went 3-for-6 with two runs scored and two batted in. Totaro pitched the distance in the opener, allowing just five hits and two runs with no walks and nine strikeouts in improving to 7-2 this spring. Freshman pitcher CAROLYN MCCREA (Jefferson Township, NJ) notched her first career victory in the nightcap, shutting out John Jay on just one hit while striking out five Bloodhound batters. Freshman SS Daisy Reyes (Bronx, NY) went 3-for-5 with a double and also scored a run for John Jay, which dropped its fourth straight decision overall.

The Red Hawks rebounded from a 2-0 deficit to tie the first game on a third-inning solo home run by Totaro, and took a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the fourth before scoring five times in the sixth frame. MSU then took a 2-0 lead after one inning in the rematch and added four runs in both the second and third frames to seal its second sweep of John Jay in as many seasons. Montclair State also pounded out 20 hits total in today's two games.

MSU now returns to New Jersey Athletic Conference action on Saturday at Richard Stockton College, while John Jay will visit New Jersey City University that same day.