CALDWELL, N.J. – In a match-up between the top two ranked teams in the East Region, the Caldwell University softball team split a non-league doubleheader with Adelphi University Sunday afternoon at Caldwell Field. The Cougars, who lost the first game, 2-0 before winning Game 2, 9-3, are now 22-11-1 overall, while the Panthers are 19-17. Caldwell was ranked first and Adelphi second in the season's first East Region rankings, which were released on Apr. 15.

Adelphi took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning of Game 1 with three straight singles and a sacrifice fly. Then in the top of the second, Nicole Camera led off with a solo home run for a 2-0 Panthers lead. Caldwell put runners in scoring position in four innings but were unable to capitalize. In the sixth the Cougars had runner at third with one out, but Adelphi pitcher Lindsay Mapes recorded a groundout and a fly ball to end the threat.

Mapes held Caldwell scoreless over seven innings, allowing four hits without a walk and striking out seven. Junior Amber Padilla (Chino, CA/Pomona Catholic) also gave up four hits over seven innings and fanned five with one walk for the Cougars.

The Caldwell bats came alive in Game 2. Senior Kristen Knorr (Monroeville, NJ/Delsea) led off the first inning with a single and later scored on a single by freshman Marisa Monasseri (Monroe, NJ/Monroe Twp.). With Monasseri and junior Brielle Reighn (Runnemeade, NJ/Triton Reg.) on base, freshman Kortney Craker (San Marcos, CA/Mission Hills) belted a three-run homer for a 4-0 lead. It was Craker's fifth home run of the season. After Monasseri singled home Reighn in the bottom of the fifth, Victoria Wink hit a three-run home run in the top of the sixth to make it a two-run game, 5-3. But Caldwell hit seven consecutive singles in the bottom of the sixth to score four runs and take a commanding 9-3 lead. Reighn, Craker, senior Alyssa Calderon (Fontana, CA/Etiwanda) and sophomore Amy Hickman (Jackson, NJ/Jackson Liberty) each had RBI singles in the inning.

Knorr, Reighn and Monasseri each had three hits, while Craker drove in four runs. Sophomore pitcher Sydney Ponto (West Deptford, NJ/West Deptford) held Adelphi to three runs on six hits while fanning seven and walking three over seven innings to improve to 9-4.

The Cougars return to Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference play with a single game at Bloomfield College on Monday, Apr. 20. Game time is set for 12:00 p.m. at Clark's Pond Field.