Box Score 1 | Box Score 2
WINTER HAVEN, Fla. – The Caldwell College softball team took two from Concordia University-St. Paul, 2-0 and 7-3 at the Rebel Spring Games Sunday at the DiamondPlex. The wins give the Cougars a 5-1 record on the season, while the Golden Bears fall to 3-11.

In the first game, Caldwell took an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first, as junior Kristen Knorr (Monroeville, NJ/Delsea) was hit by a pitch, advanced to second on a bunt by sophomore Caitlin McCready (Jupiter, FL/Dwyer) and scored on a single from sophomore Brielle Reighn (Runnemeade, NJ/Triton Regional). Then in the sixth, senior Nicole Velardi (Belleville, NJ/Belleville) tripled to score Reighn for a 2-0 lead.

That's all the run support sophomore pitcher Amber Padilla (Chino, CA/Pomona Catholic) needed, as she blanked Concordia on four hits while striking out six and walking one in a complete-game shutout.

The second game remained scoreless until the top of the fourth, when the Cougars pushed four runs across. Knorr had a two-run double, while McCready singled home Knorr in the inning. Junior Megan Fryday (San Marcos, CA/Mission Hills) also stole home on a double steal. After the Golden Bears scored two runs in the bottom of the fourth inning, Caldwell tallied three runs, all on double steals, in the top of the fifth to take a 7-2 lead. Concordia added a run in the sixth, but the Cougars closed out the sweep with a 7-3 win.

Freshman pitcher Sydney Ponto (West Deptford, NJ/West Deptford) allowed two hits and two unearned runs in 4 2/3 innings of work to improve to 30 on the season. Junior Hanna Walkinshaw (Aptos, CA/Aptos) came on in relief and pitched the final 2 1/3 innings to earn the save.

Caldwell continues play at the Rebel Spring Games with games against St. Cloud State and the University of New Haven on Monday, Mar. 17.