LAKEWOOD, N.J.- The #15 Caldwell University softball team scored seven runs in the fifth inning as the Cougars defeated Dominican College 10-3 to advance to Sunday's Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference Championship game. The top seeded Cougars will face #7 Philadelphia University at 12 pm on Field #1 at Georgian Court University.
The top seeded Cougars improve to 43-13, while the #3 seed Chargers fall to 29-21 on the season.
Dominican got on the board in the first inning with a leadoff homerun. Caldwell answered in the bottom of the inning as senior
Lauren Frye (Jupiter, Fla.) reached on a bunt single and stole second. Junior
Marisa Monasseri (Monroe, N.J.) blasted her 11th homerun of the season as the Cougars pulled ahead 2-1.
The Cougars added to their lead in the third as Monasseri drew a two-out walk. Sophomore
Carly Testa (Sicklerville, N.J.) singled to the right-center gap as Monasseri moved to third. Freshman
Melissa Rini (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) reached on an infield single to score Monasseri for a 3-1 lead.
Dominican rallied in the fourth as they pushed across two runs to even the score at 3-3 after four innings of play.
Caldwell broke the game open in the fifth as Frye reached on a bunt single. Monasseri drew a walk with the runners moving up on a fly out. Rini doubled in Frye to put Caldwell back in front at 4-3. Freshman
Jessie Johnston (Livermore, Calif.) doubled in two runs, while junior
Kiahna Silva (Etiwanda, Calif.) singled in a run as Caldwell extended to a 7-3 lead. Sophomore
Hannah Polak (Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.) and senior
Amy Hickman (Jackson, N.J.) added run scoring single as part of the seven run inning.
Senior
Sydney Ponto (West Deptford, N.J.) notched her 20
th complete game of the season to improve to 28-4 on the season. She allowed three runs on six hits, while striking out seven in the win. Ponto passes Corinne Reiser with her 28th win of the season, setting the program's single season record.
Caldwell takes on #7 Philadelphia University on Sunday, May 7 at 12 pm in the CACC Championship game. The game will be played at Field #1 on the campus of Georgian Court University.