BROOKVILLE, N.Y. – The Caldwell College softball team defeated third-seeded Molloy College, 5-2 to remain alive at the NCAA Division II East Region Tournament Saturday afternoon at the C.W. Post Softball Complex. The win followed a 6-0 loss to No. 25 C.W. Post earlier in the day. The sixth-seeded Cougars (32-24) will play C.W. Post on Sunday in the East Region finals.

Against Molloy, Caldwell struck first with two runs in the bottom of the third. Freshman Mariah Lucena (Belleville, NJ/Belleville) led off with a single, then moved to second on a bunt by junior Katie Margiotta (Sewell, NJ/Washington Twp.). Sophomore Dia Cascone (Staten Island, NY/Susan Wagner) followed with a single to right field. Lucena came home when the right fielder's throw was off the mark, and Cascone scored off another throwing error on the same play for a 2-0 lead.

Then in the fifth, sophomore Amy Leal (New Bedford, MA/Bishop Stang) scored from third on a wild pitch, and sophomore Kelly Schymanski (Pottstown, PA/Owen Roberts) plated Margiotta with a single that also scored junior Kelly Ryan (Woonsocket, RI/Mt. St. Charles Acad.) to put Caldwell ahead 5-0. Lucena, right, led off the inning with a double for her second hit of the game. Molloy (42-14) scored twice in the top of the sixth, but sophomore pitcher Kourtney Wilson (Islip, NY/St. Anthony) retired the side in the seventh to earn the save and close out the win.

Senior pitcher Brittany Pulido (Ojai, CA/Nordhoff), left, who became Caldwell's all-time leader in career victories with a win over Molloy on Friday, allowed two runs on seven hits in six innings to improve to 20-9 on the season. She is now 76-31 for her career at Caldwell. Megan Butterworth gave up five runs, three earned, on seven hits to drop to 22-9.

In the first game, Caldwell ran into a hot pitcher in Christina Berardi, who gave up just one hit in six-plus innings. The Pioneers broke open a scoreless game in the top of the fifth with five runs on five hits, including a two-run single by Kristen Morcone. Four of the runs were scored with two out. Pulido started and lasted 4 2/3 innings to fall to 19-9 on the season.

Caldwell will play host C.W. Post on Sunday, May 15 at 10:00 a.m. at the C.W. Post Softball Complex in Brookville, N.Y. If the Cougars win, a second game will be played at 12:30 p.m. to determine who will advance to next week's Super Regional. At the East Regional in Brookhaven, N.Y., eighth-seeded Merrimack College is unbeaten and will face fourth-seeded Southern Connecticut State in Sunday's final.

2011 NCAA Division II East Region Softball Tournament
Host: C.W. Post, Brookville, N.Y.
Friday, May 13
Game 1: #2 C.W. Post 3, #7 New Haven 2
Game 2: #6 Caldwell 6, #3 Molloy 1

Saturday, May 14
Game 3: #2 C.W. Post 6, #6 Caldwell 0
Game 4: #3 Molloy 8, #7 New Haven 5 (New Haven eliminated)
Game 5: #6 Caldwell 5, #3 Molloy 2 (Molloy eliminated)

Sunday, May 15
Game 6: #2 C.W. Post (38-14) vs. #6 Caldwell (32-24), 10:00 a.m.
Game 7: Repeat Game 6 if necessary, 3:30 p.m.

Host: Dowling College, Brookhaven, N.Y.
Friday, May 13
Game 1: #8 Merrimack 2, #1 Dowling 1
Game 2: #4 S. Conn. State 1, #5 Dominican 0

Saturday, May 14
Game 3: #8 Merrimack 1, #4 S. Conn. State 0
Game 4: #5 Dominican 1, #1 Dowling 0 (Dowling eliminated)
Game 5: #4 S. Conn. State 5, #4 Dominican 2 (Dominican eliminated)

Sunday, May 15
Game 6: #8 Merrimack (30-20) vs. #4 S. Conn. State (34-20), 10:00 a.m.
Game 7: Repeat Game 6 if necessary, 3:30 pm