Box Score 1 | Box Score 2
WINTER HAVEN, Fla. – Caldwell College softball coach Dean Johnson recorded the 600th victory of his career, as the Cougars topped Ohio Dominican University, 6-5 in eight innings Saturday morning at Rebel Spring Games. The Cougars also defeated Lees-McRae, 9-1 in the day's second game to improve to 3-1 on the season.

Before the start of the 2014 season, 26 active Division II softball coaches had achieved the 600-win milestone, and Johnson joins that exclusive group. His overall coaching record is now 601-288-2 in 19-plus seasons, all at Caldwell.

The Cougars, who had defeated Ohio Dominican, 9-0 in five innings yesterday, jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning. Junior Alyssa Calderon (Fontana, CA/Etiwanda) hit a triple to score sophomore Caitlin McCready (Jupiter, FL/Dwyer), then came home on a single by junior Megan Fryday (San Marcos, CA/Mission Hills). After the Bobcats scored a run in the top of the second, sophomore Brielle Reighn (Runnemeade, NJ/Triton Regional) singled home junior Kristen Knorr (Monroeville, NJ/Delsea), and Calderon delivered a two-run double for a 5-1 Caldwell lead.

Ohio Dominican staged a comeback, getting a solo home run from Kelsey Albanese in the sixth and a three-run homer by Allie Hinton that tied the game in the seventh inning. In the bottom of the eighth with Calderon placed at second due to the international tie-breaker rule, Fryday's bunt was thrown away, allowing Calderon to score the game-winning run.

Freshman pitcher Sydney Ponto (West Deptford, NJ/West Deptford) retired the final two batters in the top of the eighth to earn the win. Sophomore Amber Padilla (Chino, CA/Pomona Catholic) started and allowed two runs on eight hits while striking out three in 6 1/3 innings. 

Against Lees-McRae, the Cougars trailed 1-0 and managed just two hits over the first five innings. Then in the sixth, Caldwell scored five runs on six hits to lead 5-1. Freshman Lauren Frye (Jupiter, FL/Jupiter) hit a two-run single, and Fryday doubled home Reighn in the inning. In the top of the seventh, freshman Amy Hickman (Jackson, NJ/Jackson Liberty) doubled and later scored on a grounder by freshman Kate Hogan (East Meadow, NY/Holy Trinity). Also in the seventh, Calderon singled to plate McCready, and the Cougars scored a pair of unearned runs for a 9-1 advantage.

Junior Hanna Walkinshaw (Aptos, CA/Aptos) pitched 3 2/3 shutout innings in relief of Ponto to earn the victory.

The Cougars play a doubleheader with Concordia-St. Paul on Sunday, Mar. 16, beginning at 10:00 a.m.