CALDWELL, N.J.- The North #2 Caldwell University baseball team, playing in their first post season contest since 2012 and their first post season home game since 2011, rallied back in their final at-bat to defeat North #5 Post University 12-11 in the Quarterfinals of the 2021 Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference Baseball Championship.
 
The Cougars improve their record to 15-14, which is the latest in the season the team has been over .500 since the 2008 season. Caldwell advances to the CACC Championship Semifinal against the winner of the North #3 Dominican College and North #4 Bloomfield College contest, which was postponed to Tuesday. The Eagles end their season at 2-19.
 
Caldwell, leading 10-2 entering the ninth inning, saw their lead erased as Post rallied with nine runs in the inning to take an 11-10 lead heading to the Cougars final at-bat.
 
In the ninth, graduate Luis Rullan (Bloomfield, N.J.) doubled down the left field line with one out. Senior Tavis Brunson (Westfield, N.J.) drew an intentional walk to put runners at first and second. Rullan stole third and scored the tying run on an errant throw with Brunson moving to second. Two batters later, graduate Jack Zosulis (East Windsor, N.J.) singled to center field to score Brunson with the winning run and send the Cougars to their first post season win since 2008.
 
Rullan went 5-for-6 in the win with a double, two RBI and three runs scored. Brunson went 3-for-4 with a double, three RBI and two runs scored. Junior Kyle Richards (Sayreville, N.J.) went 2-for-5 with a double, two RBI and one run scored.
 
Senior John Istvan (Dover, N.J.) tossed five scoreless innings in relief, allowing two hits with six strikeouts. Junior Frank Lehmann (Colonia, N.J.) earned the win in the relief, recording the final out in the top of the ninth to improve to 3-1.
 
The Cougars advance to the CACC Championship Semifinals on Thursday, May 13 at the Kiwanis Oval. They will host the winner of the Dominican-Bloomfield quarterfinal game that will be played on Tuesday.