Box Score 1 | Box Score 2
NEW CASTLE, Del. – The Caldwell College softball team stayed perfect in Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference play with a pair of victories over Wilmington University, 7-4 and 1-0 in a doubleheader Monday afternoon at Asbury Field. The Cougars, who have won a program-best 23 straight games, are now 27-4 overall and 16-0 in league play, while the Wildcats are 20-16, 7-5 CACC.

The winning streak appeared in jeopardy when Wilmington's Christin Headley hit a three-run home run in the bottom of the third inning of Game 1 to lead 3-0. Caldwell scored twice in the top of the fifth, when sophomore Briana Gaspich (Brick, NJ/Brick Memorial) hit a sacrifice fly that plated sophomore Sarah Almasy (Stratford, NJ/Sterling). On the same play, a throwing error allowed sophomore Kristen Knorr (Monroeville, NJ/Delsea) to score, making it a one-run game. Then in the sixth, sophomore Megan Fryday (San Marcos, CA/Mission Hills) doubled home sophomore Sara Zambelli (West Milford, NJ/West Milford) to tie the score at 3-3.

Still in the sixth, Knorr delivered a bases-loaded double to score Fryday and senior Amy Leal (New Bedford, MA/Bishop Stang) to put the Cougars on top, 5-3. Freshman Caitlin McCready (Jupiter, FL/Dwyer) singled to score junior Jacklyn Bates (Waterloo, NY/Waterloo), and Knorr came home on a grounder by Gaspich to push the lead to 7-3. Wilmington scored a run in the bottom of the seventh, but it was not enough to prevent Caldwell from ending the Wildcats' eight-game winning streak.

Senior Kourtney Wilson (Islip, NY/St. Anthony's) went the distance, giving up four runs on nine hits to improve to 12-1 on the season. Knorr, Fryday, Bates, junior Nicole Velardi (Belleville, NJ/Belleville) and freshman Brielle Reighn (Runnemeade, NJ/Triton Reg.) each had two hits in a balanced attack for the Cougars.

The second game was a pitcher's dual between Katie Warrington, last week's CACC Pitcher of the Week, and freshman Amber Padilla (Chino, CA/Pomona Catholic), who was named the CACC Rookie of the Week today. The only run of the game came in the top of the third inning. Bates led off by drawing Warrington's only walk of the game, then moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Knorr. After a strikeout, Gaspich hit a two-out single to left field. The ball was misplayed, allowing Bates to come around to score for a 1-0 lead.

Padilla made the run stand, scattering three hits and allowing just three runners to reach second base in the game. Only one of the hits left the infield. The shutout is Padilla's fourth in a row and extends her scoreless streak to 31 2/3 innings, dating back to Mar. 27. Warrington gave up one unearned run on five hits while striking out five in seven innings.

Caldwell continues CACC play with a doubleheader at Concordia College on Wednesday, Apr. 10, beginning at 3:00 p.m. in Bronxville, N.Y.