Newark, NJ – Senior righthander Alex Hill (Parsippany, NJ, Parsippany Hills) tossed a one-hitter in the opener and third-ranked Montclair State held off a rally by Rutgers-Newark in the nightcap as the Red Hawks swept the NJAC doubleheader from the Scarlet Raiders on Tuesday afternoon.

Senior catcher Alisha Cumberton (Toms River, NJ, Toms River East) had two RBI in the first game helping MSU (19-1, 4-0 NJAC) to a 6-0 victory. Montclair State, which extended its winning streak to 15 games, held off the Scarlet Raiders 4-3 to complete the sweep.

In the opener, Toniann Donde opened the Scarlet Raider first inning with a bloop single to short centerfield, but that was the last hit allowed by Hill (14-1) who struck out 10 in recording her eighth shutout of the season in capturing the 101st  win of her career.  She retired 17 in a row before hitting Donde with a pitch in the sixth to allow the only other Raider base runner.

Senior lefthander Brianna Alicchio (3-4) gave up five runs on a dozen hits until giving way to Jess Cannon with one away in the sixth.  After getting out of the sixth without yielding an addition run, an error opened the door for an unearned run on two hits against Cannon in the seventh.

Cumberton went 3-for-3 with a pair of RBI doubles to pace MSU's 14-hit attack.  Brooke Powers (Newton, NJ, Pope John XXIII) went 3-for-4 while Hill helped her own cause with two hits including the game-winning first inning single.  Junior first baseman Tara Petrucelli (Nutley, NJ, Nutley) had a single, a double and scored twice while sophomore rightfielder Sophia Ivezaj (Fairview, NJ, Cliffside Park) also collected two hits.   Junior Melany Zeller (Bloomfield, NJ, Bloomfield) delivered a 2-run pinch hit single in the sixth.

Montclair State would jump out to a 4-0 lead in the second inning of the second contest. Powers had an RBI single for the first run and shortstop Brianna Davidson (Monroe Township, NJ , Monroe Township) singled home two more before Melissa Rustemeyer (Colonia, NJ, Colonia) capped the inning with a run-scoring hit back through the middle.

The Scarlet Raiders (9-11, 0-2 NJAC) answered immediately in the bottom of the inning as Kelsey Lucas tripled home two runs cutting the MSU lead to 4-2. Rutgers-Newark drew closer in the sixth as an error on a sacrifice attempt allowed another run to score while putting the tying run at second.

Hill was summoned in from the bullpen and quickly ended that threat with a pair of ground outs sandwiched around a strikeout. Hill retired the side in order in the seventh to post her third save of the year.

Senior righthander Alison Cullen (Branchburg, NJ, Immaculata) picked up the win to improve to 5-0. Cullen struck out three and gave up five hits. 

Powers and Jaclyn Allegretta (Hackensack, NJ, Hackensack) had two hits apiece for MSU.

The Red Hawks return to action on Saturday, April 5 with another road contest on a Rutgers campus. This time MSU will be in Camden to face the Scarlet Raptors in an NJAC doubleheader at 1:00 pm.