ORANGEBURG, N.Y. - The Caldwell College softball team opened its Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference schedule with a pair of 8-0 victories over Nyack College Tuesday afternoon at the Orangeburg Little League Park. With the wins, the Cougars improve to 11-4 overall and 2-0 in league play, while the Warriors are now 0-14, 0-4 CACC.

In the first game, Caldwell broke a scoreless tie with two runs in the fifth on a double by sophomore Nicole Velardi (Belleville, NJ/Belleville) that plated senior Katie Margiotta (Sewell, NJ/Washington Twp.), and a single by sophomore Jessica Miller (Sicklerville, NJ/Winslow Twp.) that brought home Velardi. The Cougars scored six more runs in the sixth for an 8-0 lead. Velardi hit a bases-loaded triple, while Miller and freshman Megan Fryday (San Marcos, CA/Mission Hills) also drove in runs.

Junior pitcher Kourtney Wilson (Islip, NY/St. Anthony's) blanked the Warriors on three hits while striking out two in six innings. It was the second shutout of the season for Wilson, who improved to 5-2 on the year.

The Caldwell bats stayed hot into the second game, producing four runs in the first inning and another in the second for a 5-0 lead. In the fifth, junior Sierra Parker (Chino Hills, CA/Chino Hills) singled home freshman Sara Zambelli (West Milford, NJ/West Milford) to make the score 6-0. Zambelli then hit her first career home run, a two-run shot to left in the seventh to put the Cougars ahead 8-0.

Freshman pitcher Sarah Almasy (Stratford, NJ/Sterling) pitched a three-hit shutout, the first of her career, while striking out four and walking one to move to 3-1. Freshman Briana Gaspich (Brick, NJ/Brick Memorial), Zambelli and Margiotta each had two hits in the win.

Caldwell plays a non-conference doubleheader at Pace University on Wednesday, Mar. 21, beginning at 3:00 p.m. in Briarcliff, N.Y.