GARDEN CITY, N.Y.- The #8 Caldwell University softball team fell to #4 LIU Post 10-2 in five innings in the winner's bracket game on day two of the NCAA Division II East Region 1 Tournament. Later in the day, Caldwell came up short 4-3 in extra innings to top seed Adelphi University in an elimination game to end their run in the tournament.
 
The Cougars end their season with a 35-18 record.
 
Winner's Bracket Game #8 Cougars vs #4 LIU Post
The Pioneers got on the first in the opening inning with a pair of runs.
 
The Cougars loaded the bases in the third inning as sophomore Melissa Rini (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) singled, while senior Marisa Monasseri (Monroe, N.J.) was hit by a pitch. Freshman Maya Rodriguez (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) singled to load the bases with no outs. Freshman Paige Sandoval (Aliso Viejo, Calif.) hit a sacrifice fly to score the first run for Caldwell.
 
LIU Post added five runs in the third and three in the fourth to extend their lead to 10-1.
 
Caldwell pushed across a run in the fifth as Monasseri was hit by a pitch, while Rodriguez singled with one out. Sandoval came up with a run scoring single to score a run.
 
Sophomore Sara Bearden (Ewing, N.J.) pitched 1/3 of an inning, allowing two unearned runs on one hit. Sophomore Jessie Johnston (Livermore, Calif.) went the final 3 2/3 innings, allowing eight runs on eight hits with one strikeout.
 
Elimination Game #8 Cougars vs #1 Adelphi
The Panthers jumped on the board in the opening inning of the elimination game with one. Adelphi added a pair of runs in the third to pull ahead 3-0.
 
Caldwell battled back in the fourth inning. Sandoval and sophomore Christina Misiur (Sayreville, N.J.) singled to start the inning to put runners at first and third. Senior Katelyn Johnson (Denville, N.J.) singled to drive on Sandoval with the first Cougar run.
 
Misiur and Johnson moved into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt. Senior Kiahna Silva (Etiwanda, Calif.) ripped a game-tying two-run double to tie the game at three.
 
Bearden settled down after allowing three runs over the first three innings. She retired 11 in a row and 13 of 14 batters through the seventh inning.
 
Both teams had scoring chances but neither team was able to break the tie and the game headed to extra innings. Adelphi loaded the bases on three singles with one out in the tenth and pushed across the winning run on a Cougar error to advance to the East Region 1 championship round on Saturday.

The conclusion of the season marked the end of the playing careers for Monasseri, Johnson and Silva.