WEST HAVEN, Conn. - The Caldwell College softball team ended a three-game losing streak in a big way, beating the University of New Haven, 4-3 and 5-4 in a non-conference doubleheader Wednesday afternoon at the UNH Softball Field. With the wins, the Cougars improve to 7-13 on the season, while the Chargers, who received votes in the latest NFCA Division II Top 25 Poll, are now 13-6.
In the first game, Caldwell took control of the game in the top of the second. Freshman Mariah Lucena (Belleville, NJ/Belleville) hit a one-out double, then advanced to third with two out. Sophomore Cassandra Cefolo (Florham Park, NJ/Hanover Park) delivered with a single that scored Lucena for a 1-0 lead. Still with two out, the Cougars received back-to-back singles from junior Katie Margiotta (Sewell, NJ/Washington Twp.) and freshman Nicole Velardi (Belleville, NJ/Belleville) to load the bases. Sophomore Dia Cascone (Staten Island, NY/Susan Wagner) stepped up and hit a bases-clearing double to put Caldwell on top 4-1.
The Chargers scored a run in the bottom of the second and added two more in the bottom of the third to make it a one-run game. But senior pitcher Brittany Pulido (Ojai, CA/Nordhoff) closed the door, allowing just two hits over the final four innings to wrap up the win. Pulido gave up three runs, two earned, on seven hits while striking out two to improve to 5-3.
New Haven got on the scoreboard first in Game 2 with a run in the second inning. After Caldwell tied the score in the third on a double by sophomore Kelly Schymanski (Pottstown, PA/Owen Roberts) to score sophomore Amy Leal (New Bedford, MA/Bishop Stang), Chelsea Harold regained the lead for the Chargers with a solo home run in the bottom of the third. In the fourth, New Haven loaded the bases with three straight singles and scored one run to lead 3-1. Still trailing in the sixth, the Cougars loaded the bases on an error, a hit-batsman and a single. Lucena walked to force in one run, then Cefolo's grounder plated Schymanski to tie the game at 3-3. Sophomore Sierra Parker (Chino Hills, CA/Chino Hills), pictured, and Leal followed with infield singles that brought home two more runs for a 5-3 Caldwell advantage. New Haven scored a run in the bottom of the sixth but was unable to tie the score, as the Cougars earned the sweep.
Sophomore Kourtney Wilson (Islip, NY/St. Anthony) pitched a complete game, allowing four runs on 11 hits while striking out two and walking one. Cefolo finished with three hits on the day.
Caldwell hosts Georgian Court University on Saturday, Apr. 1 in a Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference doubleheader. The first game starts at 1:00 p.m. at Caldwell Field.
