GARDEN CITY, N.Y. – The Caldwell University softball team opened the NCAA Division II East Region Tournament with a 6-2 victory over Pace University Friday afternoon at Adelphi University's Janet L. Ficke Field. The Cougars, seeded first overall in the region, improve to 35-12-1 and advance to Saturday's winner's bracket game.

Pace (25-16) scored an unearned run on an error in the top of the third inning to break the scoreless tie. Caldwell answered in a big way in the bottom of the third. Senior Kristen Knorr (Monroeville, NJ/Delsea) led off with a single and moved to second on a bunt by junior Caitlin McCready (Jupiter, FL/Dwyer). Junior Brielle Reighn (Runnemeade, NJ/Triton Reg.) followed with a double to left, scoring Knorr. The hit was Reighn's 200th of her career. After senior Alyssa Calderon (Fontana, CA/Etiwanda) singled, forcing a pitching change, freshman Kortney Craker (San Marcos, CA/Mission Hills) blasted a three-run homer to right center for a 4-1 advantage. It was Craker's seventh home run of the season.

In the bottom of the fifth, freshman Marisa Monasseri (Monroe, NJ/Monroe Twp.) doubled home senior Sarah Almasy (Stratford, NJ/Sterling), and junior Katelyn Biasi (Blackwood, NJ/Sterling) was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to make the score 6-1 Caldwell. The Setters did not surrender, as Surina Sandhu led off the top of the seventh with a home run, and Pace loaded the bases on an error, a single and a walk with one out. But junior Amber Padilla (Chino, CA/Pomona Catholic) retired the final two batters to close out her 19th victory of the season.

Padilla held Pace to an unearned run on three hits while walking five and striking out four in 6 2/3 innings. Calderon finished with two of Caldwell's seven hits. Reighn is the ninth Cougar to reach 200 hits in the history of the program, joining teammates Calderon and Knorr. This is the first time that there have been three players on the same team with 200 hits in the program's history.

The Cougars will face the winner of the Adelphi-Wilmington game on Saturday, May 9 at 11:00 a.m.

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 (25-19) vs. #5 Wilmington (31-16), 4:00 p.m.

Saturday, May 9
Game 3: #1 Caldwell (35-12-1) vs. Game 2 winner, 11:00 a.m.
Game 4: #8 Pace (25-16) vs. Game 2 loser, 1:30 p.m.
Game 5: Game 4 winner vs. Game 3 loser, 4:00 p.m.

Sunday, May 10
Game 6: Game 3 winner vs. Game 5 winner, 1:00 p.m.
Game 7: Repeat Game 6 if necessary, 3:30 p.m.

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: #2 S. New Hampshire (44-8) vs. #6 LIU Post (31-15-1), 11:30 a.m.
Game 4: #7 St. Anselm (22-12) vs. #3 Queens (35-15), 2:00 p.m.
Game 5: Game 4 winner vs. Game 3 loser, 4:30 p.m.

Sunday, May 10
Game 6: Game 3 winner vs. Game 5 winner, 1:30 p.m.
Game 7: Repeat Game 6 if necessary, 4:00 p.m.