GARDEN CITY, N.Y. – The Caldwell University softball team saw its season come to an end with a 9-4 loss to Adelphi University in its third game of the day at the NCAA Division II East Region Tournament Sunday at Adelphi's Janet L. Ficke Field. The Cougars, who beat Wilmington, 7-2 and defeated the Panthers, 4-3 earlier in the day to force a rematch with Adelphi, compete their season with a record of 37-14-1. The Panthers improve to 28-20 and advance to the East Region finals against Southern New Hampshire.

Against Wilmington, Caldwell scored twice in the top of the second inning, including an RBI single from sophomore Gracie Sullivan (Elmhurst, IL/York). The Wildcats tied the score with two runs in the bottom of the third, but the Cougars followed with a single by freshman Marisa Monasseri (Monroe, NJ/Monroe Twp.) that plated freshman Kortney Craker (San Marcos, CA/Mission Hills) in the fourth for a 3-2 lead. A bases-loaded single by Craker in the fifth brought home senior Kristen Knorr (Monroeville, NJ/Delsea) and sophomore Lauren Frye (Jupiter, FL/Jupiter), and senior Alyssa Calderon (Fontana, CA/Etiwanda) doubled in the seventh to score Knorr and junior Caitlin McCready (Jupiter, FL/Dwyer) for a 7-2 advantage.

Junior pitcher Amber Padilla (Chino, CA/Pomona Catholic) held the Wildcats to two runs on six hits while striking out nine and walking one in seven innings. She becomes just the fourth Caldwell pitcher to win 20 games in a season.

In the first game with Adelphi, McCready broke a scoreless tie in the top of the fifth with a triple that brought home Frye and Sullivan. Junior Brielle Reighn (Runnemeade, NJ/Triton Reg.) followed with a sacrifice fly to plate McCready for a 3-0 lead. In the bottom of the fifth, Brenna Martini hit a three-run home run to tie the score at 3-3. The Cougars were able to score the go-ahead run in the sixth on a single by Sullivan that brought home sophomore Amy Hickman (Jackson, NJ/Jackson Liberty) from second.

Padilla pitched the first 4 2/3 innings before giving way to sophomore Sydney Ponto (West Deptford, NJ/West Deptford), who tossed 2 1/3 scoreless innings to earn the victory. Sullivan, Knorr and McCready each had two hits in the win.

The win set up a second game between Caldwell and Adelphi that would decide who advances to the regional final next week. The Panthers wasted little time in taking control, scoring three runs in the first inning and four runs in the second, including a three-run homer by Jaclyn Binstock, for a 7-0 lead. Then in the fourth, three Caldwell errors led to two more runs to put Adelphi up, 9-0. The Cougars responded in the top of the fifth, with Craker hitting a two-run double and Monasseri delivering a two-run single to make the score 9-4 Panthers. But Adelphi kept Caldwell off the scoreboard over the final two innings to clinch the win.

The Cougars committed seven errors in the field, as all nine runs were unearned. Three Caldwell pitchers combined to allow six hits and six walks. Knorr, Reighn, Calderon and Hickman each had two hits, as the Cougars totaled 11 hits while leaving 10 runners on base in the loss.

The long day also marks the end of the collegiate careers for seniors Calderon, Knorr and Sarah Almasy (Stratford, NJ/Sterling). The trio helped the Cougars win 166 games, the most victories in a four-year period in the history of the program, as well as two Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference championships.

2015 NCAA Division II East Region Softball Tournament
Host: Adelphi University, Garden City, N.Y.
Friday, May 8
Game 1: #1 Caldwell 6, #8 Pace 2
Game 2: #4 Adelphi 3, #5 Wilmington 1, 16 inn.

Saturday, May 9
Game 3: #4 Adelphi 7, #1 Caldwell 3
Game 4: #5 Wilmington 2, #8 Pace 0

Sunday, May 10
Game 5: #1 Caldwell 7, #5 Wilmington 2
Game 6: #1 Caldwell 4, #4 Adelphi 3
Game 7: #4 Adelphi 9, #1 Caldwell 4

Host: Southern New Hampshire University, Manchester, N.H.
Friday, May 8
Game 1: #2 S. New Hampshire 3, #7 St. Anselm 0
Game 2: #6 LIU Post 2, #3 Queens 0

Saturday, May 9
Game 3: #6 LIU Post 1, #2 S. New Hampshire 0
Game 4: #7 St. Anselm 2, #3 Queens 1
Game 5: #2 S. New Hampshire 2, #7 St. Anselm 1

Sunday, May 10
Game 6: #2 S. New Hampshire 2, #6 LIU Post 1, 10 inn.
Game 7: #2 S. New Hampshire 3, #6 LIU Post 2, 9 inn.