CALDWELL, N.J. – The Caldwell University softball team extended its winning streak to nine with a sweep of Holy Family University, 2-1 and 6-2 in a Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference doubleheader Sunday afternoon at Caldwell Field. The Cougars improve to 15-9 overall and 9-1 in conference play, while the Tigers fall to 12-9, 12-8 CACC.
The first game was a pitcher's duel between junior
Amber Padilla (Chino, CA/Pomona Catholic) and Holy Family's Bailey Walters. Ironically it was Walters who scored the first run of the game with a solo home run in the top of the fourth. With two outs in the bottom of the sixth, freshman
Marisa Monasseri (Monroe, NJ/Monroe Twp.) answered for Caldwell with a solo shot of her own to tie the game at 1-1. It was Monasseri's team-leading sixth home run of the season. Still in the sixth, an error with runners at first and second allowed junior
Katelyn Biasi (Blackwood, NJ/Sterling) to score the go-ahead run. The Tigers put runners at first and second with two out in the top of the seventh, but Padilla retired the next batter on a groundout to end the game.
Padilla allowed one run on seven hits while striking out five in seven innings to improve to 9-3. Junior
Brielle Reighn (Runnemeade, NJ/Triton Reg.) registered two of Caldwell's four hits off of Walters.
In the second game, the Cougars struck for four runs in the first and two more in the second to take a commanding 6-0 lead. Sophomore
Amy Hickman (Jackson, NJ/Jackson Liberty) hit a two-run double in the first inning that plated Monasseri and senior
Alyssa Calderon (Fontana, CA/Etiwanda). Also in the first, Monasseri drew a bases-loaded walk, and Reighn came home on a wild pitch. In the second inning, sophomore
Lauren Frye (Jupiter, FL/Jupiter) led off with a double and scored on a single by
Caitlin McCready (Jupiter, FL/Dwyer), and a sacrifice fly by Monasseri plated McCready for a 6-0 lead.
A two-run home run by Kristine Casey in the top of the sixth was all Holy Family could produce off of sophomore pitcher
Sydney Ponto (West Deptford, NJ/West Deptford), who gave up two runs on eight hits in a complete-game victory. Hickman went 3-for-3 with two RBIs at the plate.
Caldwell plays at Felician College in a CACC doubleheader on Monday, Apr. 13. The first game starts at 3:00 p.m. in Lyndhurst, N.J.