CC 5, GCU 3
CC 7, GCU 4
LAKEWOOD, N.J. – Freshman Kristen Knorr (Monroeville, NJ/Delsea) recorded seven hits to lead the Caldwell College softball team to a sweep of Georgian Court University in a Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference doubleheader Sunday afternoon at the GCU Softball Field. The Cougars, who won 5-3 and 7-4, improve to 32-9 overall and 18-2 in league play, while the Lions drop to 28-18, 14-6 CACC.
In the first game, the Cougars erased a 2-1 deficit with four runs in the top of the fourth. Knorr and freshman Alyssa Calderon (Fontana, CA/Etiwanda) singled in runs, while freshman Briana Gaspich (Brick, NJ/Brick Memorial) hit a two-run double. Kelsey Cutler hit a solo home run in the bottom of the seventh to make the score 5-3.
Junior pitcher Kourtney Wilson (Islip, NY/St. Anthony's) held the Lions to three runs on nine hits while striking out two in seven innings to improve to 14-4 on the season. Caldwell pounded out 16 hits in the win, including three by Knorr and two apiece from Calderon, seniors Marisa Tamez (Fountain Valley, CA/Fountain Valley) and Katie Margiotta (Sewell, NJ/Washington Twp.), junior Dia Cascone (Staten Island, NY/Susan Wagner), sophomore Nicole Velardi (Belleville, NJ/Belleville) and freshman Sara Zambelli (West Milford, NJ/West Milford).
The Cougars took control early in Game 2, as Velardi singled home Knorr in the top of the first, and Gaspich hit a two-run single in the second for a 3-0 lead. After a solo homer by Rachel Ruch in the bottom of the third, Knorr singled in Margiotta in the fourth to put Caldwell ahead 4-1. Georgian Court tied thing up in the bottom of the sixth, when Selina Santillo hit a three-run home run to make the score 4-4. But the Cougars struck back in the top of the seventh. Zambelli doubled to score Velardi, freshman Megan Fryday (San Marcos, CA/Mission Hills) came home on a bunt by Margiotta, and Zambelli scored on an error for a 7-4 Caldwell lead.
Freshman Hanna Walkinshaw (Aptos, CA/Aptos) retired the Lions in order in the bottom of the seventh to clinch the win. Walkinshaw struck out seven batters while yielding four runs on seven hits in seven innings to improve to 8-4. Knorr went 4-for-5 in Game 2 to mark the third time she has had four hits in a game this season.
The Cougars host Wilmington University in a Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference doubleheader on Monday, Apr. 16. The first game starts at 2:30 p.m. at Caldwell Field.
