Orlando, FL (3/20/08) – Junior shortstop JENNIFER JIMENEZ (Linden, NJ / Linden) drove in four runs while freshman LESLIE GONZALEZ (North Bergen, NJ / North Bergen) added three RBI as Montclair State split its final two contests at the Rebel Spring Games on Thursday.

The Red Hawks fell to Allegheny, 5-3 in eight innings, but rebounded with a 15-2 triumph over Polytechinic to finish their Florida trip at 8-2.

MSU trailed Allegheny 2-0 heading into the bottom of the fifth, but scored three times to take the lead. AMANDA LIVSEY (Congers, NY / Congers) led off with a single and pinch-runner BRIANA HOPKINS (West Warwick, RI / West Warwick) was sacrificed to second and moved to third on a wild pitch. MAUREEN SHOCKLEY (Magnolia, NJ / Triton) doubled home Hopkins for the first run and MEGAN DURKIN (West Orange, NJ / West Orange) later followed with a two-run single to give MSU a 3-2 advantage.

The MSU lead stood until the seventh inning, when with two outs, Liz Burr (Farmdale, Ohio/Badger) singled before Marci Potuzko (Greensburg, Pa./Hempfield Area) and Rachel Ryan (West Salem, Ohio/Northwestern) both walked to load the bases. Katie Wills (McKees Rocks, Pa./Montour) was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, knotting the game at 3-3.

After setting the Red Hawks down in order in the bottom of the seventh inning, the Gators got a pair of runs in the top of the eighth, as Maggie Bodenlos (Pittsburgh, Pa./Shady Side Academy) and Rebecca Burns (Rogersville, Pa./West Greene) were driven in on an error by the Montclair third baseman. MSU's rally in their half of the eighth inning did not come into fruition, as the Gators held on for the 5-3 victory.

Senior righthander CAROLYN MCCREA (Wharton, NJ / Jefferson) took the loss to fall to 4-2. McCrea allowed nine hits and just two earned runs, striking out seven and walking two.

Following the loss, Montclair broke out against Polytechnic as MSU put six runs on the board in their first at bat. Jimenez drove home JACKIE FERRANTI (Bergenfield, NJ / Bergenfield) with a single and Durkin added another run with a double. WHITNEY DRIVER (Montville, NJ / Morristown-Beard) collected a run-scoring hit before Gonzalez delivered the big blow, a bases-clearing double.

Ferranti led off the second with her second home run of the season and KELLY KARP (Edison, NJ / Edison) added an RBI single as the lead grew to 8-0. Polytechnic would get to back in the bottom of the inning but Montclair got those back with single runs in the third and fourth before tacking on five more in the fifth. Livsey had a two-run double in that inning.

Karp (4-0) picked up the victory as she went the first three innings, striking out three and walking two. Sophomore ELIA PERSICO (Marlton, NJ / Cherokee) closed out the contest with two scoreless innings.

The Red Hawks pounded out 16 hits in the contest.

Montclair State now returns to New Jersey and will open up their home slate on Tuesday, March 25 against John Jay College. First pitch at the MSU Softball Stadium is set for 3:00 pm.