ST. LEO, Fla. – The Caldwell University softball team continued play at the St. Leo University Tournament on Saturday, losing to Queens College, 2-0 and rallying to defeat 11th-ranked LIU Post, 10-5 at St. Leo's University Stadium. The Cougars, who are ranked 14th nationally, are now 2-2 on the season.

In the day's first game, Queens pitcher Toni Marie Valeriano held Caldwell scoreless on three hits over six innings, and the Knights tallied two runs in the bottom of the second inning to win, 2-0. Juniors Caitlin McCready (Jupiter, FL/Dwyer) and Brielle Reighn (Runnemeade, NJ/Triton Reg.), and sophomore Amy Hickman (Jackson, NJ/Jackson Liberty) had the hits for the Cougars. Sophomore pitcher Sydney Ponto (West Deptford, NJ/West Deptford) allowed two runs on six hits over six innings to absorb the loss.

In a rematch of last year's East Region championship, LIU Post (3-4) scored three runs in the top of the first and two more in the second to take a commanding 5-0 lead. In the bottom of the fourth, Caldwell snapped a string of 18 scoreless innings in a big way, pushing seven runs across to lead 7-5. Reighn and freshman Kiahna Silva (Etiwanda, CA/Etiwanda) each hit a two-run singles and senior Alyssa Calderon (Fontana, CA/Etiwanda) delivered a two-run double in the inning. The Cougars scored some insurance runs in the sixth, with freshman Marisa Monasseri (Monroe, NJ/Monroe Twp.) belting a two-run home run and senior Kristen Knorr (Monroeville, NJ/Delsea) singled home sophomore Gracie Sullivan (Elmhurst, IL/York).

Junior pitcher Amber Padilla (Chino, CA/Pomona Catholic) settled in after the first two innings, blanking the Pioneers on six hits over the final five innings to improve to 2-0 on the season.

Caldwell wraps up play at the St. Leo Tournament with a single game against the host Lions on Sunday, Mar. 15, beginning at 10:00 a.m. at University Field.