Box Score
BROOKVILLE, N.Y. – The Caldwell College softball team lost to No. 20 LIU Post, 7-4 in the first game of the NCAA Division II East Super Regional Friday afternoon at the LIU Post Softball Field. The Cougars (44-8) and Pioneers (49-8) will continue the best-of-three series on Saturday.

LIU Post, seeded first in the East Region, loaded the bases in the second inning on two walks and a single for Kayla McCoy, who hit a grand slam over the left field fence for a 4-0 lead. In the top of the third with two out, sophomores Caitlin McCready (Jupiter, FL/Dwyer) and Brielle Reighn (Runnemeade, NJ/Triton Regional) hit back-to-back singles. Junior Alyssa Calderon (Fontana, CA/Etiwanda) followed with a three-run homer, her sixth of the season, to make the score 4-3.

The long ball continued to play a role in the game, as Nicole Hagenah led off the bottom of the third with a home run for a 5-3 advantage. The Cougars got the run back in the fifth on a double by Reighn that plated Kristen Knorr (Monroeville, NJ/Delsea). But an error on a single by Paige Swantek allowed two runs to score in the bottom of the fifth to put the Pioneers on top, 7-4. Caldwell put two runners on base in the top of the seventh but was unable to capitalize.

Sophomore pitcher Amber Padilla (Chino, CA/Pomona Catholic) started and gave up seven runs, five earned, on nine hits over four innings to absorb the loss. Freshman Sydney Ponto (West Deptford, NJ/West Deptford) pitched two scoreless innings of relief without yielding a hit. Liz Weber earned the win after allowing four runs on five hits in four innings, while Ashley Martin pitched the final three innings to pick up the save.

All seven of Caldwell's hits came from the first four batters in the lineup, including a 3-for-3 performance from McCready. Reighn also had two hits.

The Super Regional will be decided on Saturday, with Game 2 starting at 1:00 p.m. If a third game is necessary, it will begin at 3:30 p.m. The winner of the Super Regional advances to the NCAA Division II National Tournament in Salem, Va.

2014 NCAA Division II East Super Regional Softball Tournament
Host: Long Island University Post, Brookville, N.Y.
Friday, May 16
Game 1: #1 LIU Post 7, #2 Caldwell 4

Saturday, May 17
Game 2: #2 Caldwell (44-8) vs. #1 LIU Post (49-8), 1:00 p.m.
Game 3: Repeat Game 2 if necessary, 3:30 p.m.