PHILADELPHIA, Pa. - The Caldwell College softball team received strong pitching in a pair of victories over Philadelphia University on Sunday in a Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference doubleheader at School House Lane Field. Senior Brittany Pulido (Ojai, CA/Nordhoff) and junior Juliette Wilson (Dallas, OR/West Salem) both pitched complete-game gems as the Cougars (9-13, 3-3 CACC) won 5-1 and 12-2 over the Rams (7-11, 1-7 CACC).

In the first game, Caldwell scored three runs in the top of the first inning for an early 3-0 lead. Sophomore Cassandra Cefolo (Florham Park, NJ/Hanover Park) singled home sophomore Dia Cascone (Staten Island, NY/Susan Wagner), and sophomore Kelly Schymanski (Pottstown, PA/Owen Roberts) and junior Marisa Tamez (Fountain Valley, CA/Fountain Valley) drew bases-loaded walks in the inning. Then in the second, Cascone came home on a grounder by senior Patti Garofolo (Collegeville, PA/Springford) for a 4-0 lead. Cefolo made it 5-0 Cougars with a solo home run in the fourth, her second of the season. The Rams broke up the shutout bid with a run in the seventh.

Pulido allowed one run on six hits while striking out one and walking one in seven innings to improve to 6-3 on the season. Cefolo had three hits, scored twice and drove in two runs. Philadelphia's Ali Schmidt gave up five runs, four earned, on seven hits in a complete-game effort.

Caldwell got off to another fast start in Game 2, scoring four runs in the second and two in the third for a 6-0 lead. Junior Kelly Ryan (Woonsocket, RI/Mt. St. Charles Acad.) hit a two-run double in the second, and freshman Jacklyn Bates (Waterloo, NY/Waterloo) blasted a two-run home run in the third. After the Rams scored a pair of unearned runs in the bottom of the third, Tamez singled home freshman Nicole Velardi (Belleville, NJ/Belleville) in the top of the fourth for a 7-2 advantage. In the top of the seventh, Caldwell struck for five runs on four hits to take a commanding 12-2 lead. Freshman Mariah Lucena (Belleville, NJ/Belleville) hit a two-run double, and Cefolo and Schymanski each had RBI singles in the inning.

Wilson, pictured, gave up the two unearned runs on five hits in seven innings for her first victory of the season. Ryan paced the offense, going 3-for-5 with two runs and two RBIs.

Caldwell hosts Nyack College on Tuesday, Apr. 5, in another CACC doubleheader. Game time is set for 3:00 p.m. at Caldwell Field.