Box Score
ROCKVILLE CENTRE, N.Y. – The Caldwell College softball team opened play at the NCAA Division II East Region Tournament with a 3-2 loss to Southern Connecticut State Friday afternoon at Bob Klein Field. The loss puts the second-seeded Cougars (43-11), who are ranked 20th in the latest NFCA Division II Top 25 Poll, into the loser's bracket to face sixth-seeded Dowling College.

Caldwell had runners on base in every inning, and advanced a runner to third base in the first two innings. But it was the Owls (32-20) who struck first, scoring a run in the top of the fourth on a single by Kaley Marden for a 1-0 lead. The Cougars broke through in the fifth, as sophomore Kristen Knorr (Monroeville, NJ/Delsea) doubled home sophomore Megan Fryday (San Marcos, CA/Mission Hills) to tie the game at 1-1. Still in the fifth, loaded the bases with one out, but a lineout to third by sophomore Alyssa Calderon (Fontana, CA/Etiwanda) was turned into a double play, ending the threat.

Marden singled in another run in the top of the sixth to restore Southern Connecticut's lead, 2-1. In the bottom of the sixth, senior Dia Cascone (Staten Island, NY/Susan Wagner) came home from second on a hard-hit ball up the middle by Fryday that was misplayed by the second baseman. With runners on first and third, senior Amy Leal (New Bedford, MA/Bishop Stang) tried to score on a grounder to short by junior Jacklyn Bates (Waterloo, NY/Waterloo). But Nicole Buch's throw home beat Leal, keeping the score knotted at 2-2.

In the top of the seventh, Southern Connecticut put runners at first and third with one out for Alyssa Downs, whose fly ball to left brought home Brittany Bucko with the go-ahead run. Freshman Caitlin McCready (Jupiter, FL/Dwyer) drew a lead-off walk, only to have Owls' pitcher Kelsey Cockrill strike out the next two batters and induce a lineout to end the game. Cockrill went the distance, allowing two runs, one earned, on nine hits for the win.

Freshman pitcher Amber Padilla (Chino, CA/Pomona Catholic) also pitched seven innings for Caldwell, giving up eight hits and three runs, two earned, while walking two and striking out six. Knorr, Cascone and freshman Brielle Reighn (Runnemeade, NJ/Triton Reg.) each had two hits.

The Cougars will play Dowling, who lost to host Molloy, 6-2 earlier today, at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday.

2013 NCAA Division II East Region Softball Tournament
Host: Molloy College (held at Bob Klein Field, Rockville Centre, N.Y.)
Friday, May 10
Game 1: #3 Molloy 6, #6 Dowling 2
Game 2: #7 Southern Connecticut St. 3, #2 Caldwell 2

Saturday, May 11
Game 3: #3 Molloy (48-12) vs. #7 Southern Connecticut St. (32-20), 11:00 a.m.
Game 4: #6 Dowling (30-18) vs. #2 Caldwell (43-11), 1:30 p.m.
Game 5: Game 4 winner vs. Game 3 loser, 4:00 p.m.

Sunday, May 12
Game 6: Game 3 winner vs. Game 5 winner, 11:00 p.m.
Game 7: Repeat Game 6 if necessary, 1:30 p.m.

Host: LIU Post, Brookville, N.Y.
Friday, May 10
Game 1: #1 LIU Post 7, #8 Dominican 6
Game 2: #5 Adelphi 4, #4 New Haven 1

Saturday, May 11
Game 3: #1 LIU Post (47-13) vs. #5 Adelphi (39-17), 11:00 a.m.
Game 4: #8 Dominican (32-21) vs. #4 New Haven (36-14), 1:30 p.m.
Game 5: Game 4 winner vs. Game 3 loser, 4:00 p.m.

Sunday, May 12
Game 6: Game 3 winner vs. Game 5 winner, 1 pm
Game 7: Repeat Game 6 if necessary, 3:30 pm