CALDWELL, N.J.- Senior
Megan Fryday (San Marcos, CA) ripped a go-ahead two-run double in the nightcap as the #17 Caldwell University softball team split a twin bill against the Wilmington University Wildcats to open Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference play. The Wildcats edged the Cougars in the opener 2-1, while Caldwell bounced back to take game two 9-8.
The Cougars move their record to 5-7 and 1-1 in the CACC, while the Wildcats stand at 6-12 and 3-1 in conference play.
Game 1 featured a pitcher's duel between Wilmington's Danielle Bradley and Caldwell senior
Amber Padilla (Chino, CA). Both hurlers kept the game scoreless until the Cougars broke through in the fifth inning.
Junior
Lauren Frye (Jupiter, FL) led off with a walk and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. Senior
Caitlin McCready (Jupiter, FL) singled to drive in Frye and put the Cougars ahead 1-0. The Wildcats got a couple of runners on base in the top of the sixth and scored on a two-run double by Kaitlyn Slater to put Wilmington in the lead. Caldwell got runners on first and second in the seventh but failed to plate the tying run.
Padilla (3-2) tossed 6+ innings, allowing two runs on five hits and struck out three. Junior
Sydney Ponto (West Deptford, NJ) came on in relief for one inning and retired all three batters she faced.
In the nightcap, the Cougars got off to a fast start with five runs in the opening inning as they sent 11 batters to the plate. Fryday, sophomore
Kiahna Silva (Etiwanda, CA) and freshman
Hannah Polak (Palm Beach Gardens, FL) each had RBI singles, while Frye drove in two with a single as Caldwell built a 5-0 lead.
The Wildcats rallied as they scored four runs in the second and tied the game with a run in the third. Wilmington took the lead as they added three runs in the fifth to take an 8-5 lead.
Caldwell rallied in their half of the fifth as Fryday and Silva posted back to back singles with one out. Polak doubled in Fryday to cut the score to 8-6. Following the second out of the inning, Frye singled to score Silva but Polak was thrown out at home as the Cougars sliced the score to 8-7.
The Cougars again mounted a rally in the sixth inning as junior
Amy Hickman (Jackson, NJ) led off with an infield single. She moved to third on a sacrifice bunt and a ground out. Sophomore
Marisa Monasseri (Monroe, NJ) was hit by a pitch and was pinch run for by
Demitria Kitrinos (Skillman, NJ). Fryday ripped a double to the wall to score both runners to put the Cougars ahead 9-8.
Ponto (2-4) wrapped up her complete game, allowing a runner to reach base in the seventh but retired the final two to give the Cougars a split. She allowed eight runs (four earned) on 11 hits and struck out three.
For the doubleheader, Hickman went 3-for-5 with a run scored, while Fryday was 3-for-6 with three RBI. Frye went 2-for-4 with three RBI on the afternoon.
The Cougars return to action on Monday, March 21 as they travel to USciences for a CACC doubleheader starting at 2 pm.
