Montclair, NJ – The third-ranked Montclair State softball team's winning streak is now at six games after the Red Hawks swept past Susquehanna Unviersity at the MSU Softball Stadium. MSU, now 11-1, defeated the Crusaders (7-9) 3-0 in the opener before completing the sweep with a 4-1 victory.

Senior righthander Alex Hill (Parsippany, NJ, Parsippany Hills) tossed a two-hit shutout in the first game and then earned a save in the second as she finished up a solid outing by senior Alison Cullen (Branchburg, NJ, Immaculata). Senior third baseman Dana Amato (Hillsdale, NJ, Pascack Valley) drove in three runs and also belted a home run while junior Melissa Rustemeyer (Colonia, NJ, Colonia) added three runs batted in.

Hill, who threw a perfect game on Saturday versus Centenary, recorded her second consecutive shutout and sixth in eight starts this season as she improved to 8-1. She struck out nine and did not walk a batter in recording her 50th shutout, tying her with Lacey Lister of Salisbury (2003-06) for fourth on the all-time Division III list.

Hill retired the first seven hitters she faced extending her streak of consecutive batters set down to 32 before a one-out error in the third ended it. She retired the next two batters keeping the game scoreless until Montclair broke through in the bottom of the inning.

Cullen walked and went to second on a passed ball. Brooke Powers (Newton, NJ, Pope John XXIII) drew a free pass with one out and both runners moved up to second and third on a ground out. Amato then stroked a single to left center giving Montclair State a 2-0 lead. Rustemeyer kept the inning goal with a base hit and Hill helped her own cause with an RBI single for a three-run advantage.

Hill went 2-for-3 for the Red Hawks.

In the second game, Montclair grabbed a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first when Amato belted her fourth home run of the year and 30th of her career tying her with Kari McDonnell for second on the all-time MSU list.

Susquehanna would get the game even with an unearned run in the second however Rustemeyer put Montclair back in front in the third with a sacrifice fly scoring Jaclyn Allegretta (Hackensack, NJ, Hackensack). Rustemeyer doubled in one run and Melany Zeller (Bloomfield, NJ, Bloomfield) single home another in the fifth as MSU increased its lead to 4-1.

The Crusaders threatened in the top of the sixth loading the bases  with two outs however Hill came on and got a ground out to end the inning. Hill struck out the side in the seventh for her first save of the season and 10th of her career, tying Elia Persico (2007-10) for the most in Montclair State history.

Cullen improved to 3-0 giving up three hits. She struck out two and walked one.

Montclair State is scheduled to be in action on Tuesday, March 25 at home against Hunter College beginning at 3:00 pm.