CC 10, AIC 4
CC 6, AIC 3
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – The Caldwell College softball team improved to 30-9 on the season with a pair of non-conference victories at American International College, 10-4 and 6-3 Thursday afternoon at Groff Field. The results give the Cougars their 10th straight season with at least 30 wins.
In the first game, a double by sophomore Nicole Velardi (Belleville, NJ/Belleville) in the top of the first plated freshman Briana Gaspich (Brick, NJ/Brick Memorial) for a 1-0 lead. The Yellow Jackets (12-20) responded with two runs in the bottom of the first to go ahead, 2-1. A single by freshman Kristen Knorr (Monroeville, NJ/Delsea) brought home senior Marisa Tamez (Fountain Valley, CA/Fountain Valley) in the second to tie the score at 2-2. But AIC regained the lead with a run in the third for a 3-2 advantage.
The Cougars took control of the game with six runs in the fourth inning, sparked by a two-run single from Tamez. Knorr and Calderon also had RBI hits, with freshman Megan Fryday (San Marcos, CA/Mission Hills) drawing a bases-loaded walk. Calderon and junior Dia Cascone (Staten Island, NY/Susan Wagner) hit solo home runs in the sixth and seventh innings, respectively to help Caldwell score at least 10 runs for the sixth time this season.
Junior pitcher Kourtney Wilson (Islip, NY/St. Anthony's) went the distance, allowing three earned runs on seven hits to improve to 13-4. Knorr tallied three hits in the win.
Cascone used the long ball again in Game 2, hitting a two-run shot as a part of a three-run third inning. She now has five homers on the season. Gaspich also singled home Knorr in the third. After AIC scored twice in the bottom of the third to cut Caldwell's lead to one, the Cougars put three more runs on the board in the top of the fifth to lead 6-2. Knorr, Calderon and Fryday each had an RBI in the inning.
Freshman Sarah Almasy (Stratford, NJ/Sterling) also pitched a complete game, giving up three runs on nine hits in seven innings to improve to 10-1. Cascone, Knorr and senior Katie Margiotta (Sewell, NJ/Washington Twp.) each had two hits to lead the offense.
The Cougars play a Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference doubleheader at Georgian Court University on Sunday, Apr. 15. The first game starts at 12:00 p.m. in Lakewood, N.J.
