NEW HAVEN, Conn. – The Caldwell College softball team saw its run at the NCAA Division II East Region Tournament come to an end with a 4-1 loss to top-seeded Southern Connecticut State Sunday afternoon at Yale University's DeWitt Family Field. The Cougars, who advanced to the final day of the regional for the third time in the last four years, complete their season with a record of 39-16. The Owls (40-10) advance to next week's Super Regional against Molloy College.
Southern Connecticut, ranked 18th nationally, scored a run in the top of the first, then made it 2-0 in the third on a solo home run by Alyssa Downs. In the bottom of the third, freshman Kristen Knorr (Monroeville, NJ/Delsea) doubled home junior Dia Cascone (Staten Island, NY/Susan Wagner) to make the score 2-1. Knorr advanced to third on the play, but the Cougars were unable to drive her home with the tying run.
After the Cougars went down in order over the next three innings, Downs blasted a long two-run home run in the top of the seventh to increase the Owls' lead to 4-1. SCSU pitcher Jayme Larson closed out the game with another 1-2-3 inning in the seventh to clinch the region championship. Larson allowed one run on two hits while striking out five in a complete-game effort.
Junior Kourtney Wilson (Islip, NY/St. Anthony's) pitched 6 1/3 innings for the Cougars and fell to 17-8 on the season with the loss. She ranks fifth all-time at Caldwell with 45 career wins. Freshman Alyssa Calderon (Fontana, CA/Etiwanda) had the other hit for the Cougars. Knorr, who made a game-saving catch in centerfield in Saturday's 2-1 victory over UMass-Lowell, made another spectacular diving catch in the sixth inning.
The loss also marked the final collegiate game for seniors Rebecca Ashley (Bellingham, MA/Mt. St. Charles Acad.), Katie Margiotta (Sewell, NJ/Washington Twp.) and Marisa Tamez (Fountain Valley, CA/Fountain Valley). The trio helped the Cougars win 150 games over the past four years.
This was the eighth appearance in the NCAA Regional in the last nine years for Caldwell, which returns 15 players from this year's squad.
2012 NCAA Division II East Region Softball Tournament
Host: Southern Connecticut State University (held at Yale University, New Haven, Conn.)
Friday, May 4
Game 1: #1 Southern Connecticut St. 1, #8 Assumption 0
Game 2: #5 UMass-Lowell 4, #4 Caldwell 3
Saturday, May 5
Game 3: #1 Southern Connecticut St. 5, #5 UMass-Lowell 4
Game 4: #4 Caldwell 3, #8 Assumption 0
Game 5: #4 Caldwell 2, #5 UMass-Lowell 1
Sunday, May 6
Game 6: Southern Connecticut St. 4, #4 Caldwell 1
Host: C.W. Post, Brookville, N.Y.
Friday, May 4
Game 1: #6 Dominican 4, #3 C.W. Post 2, 12 innings
Game 2: #2 Molloy 2, #7 Adelphi 0
Saturday, May 5
Game 3: #6 Dominican 7, #2 Molloy 3
Game 4: #7 Adelphi 3, #3 C.W. Post 0
Game 5: #2 Molloy 3, #7 Adelphi 2
Sunday, May 6
Game 6: #2 Molloy 5, #6 Dominican 0
Game 7: #2 Molloy 4, #6 Dominican 3
