CALDWELL, N.J.- Caldwell University softball junior
Courtney Grundhauser (Easton, Pa.) went 3-for-7 with two homeruns and five RBI as the Cougars swept a Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference doubleheader against Thomas Jefferson University. The Cougars won the opener 12-3 in six innings and took the nightcap 6-1.
The Cougars improve to 10-3 overall and 2-0 in the CACC, while the Rams fall to 3-7 and 2-2 in conference play.
In the opener, Thomas Jefferson scored a run in the second inning to take an early 1-0 lead.
Caldwell pulled ahead with a five-run third inning. Junior
Taylor Mischler (Endicott, N.Y.) had the key hit in the inning with three-run double, while senior
Maya Rodriguez (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) drove in a run with a single.
The Rams got one run back in the fourth inning, but the Cougars answered with one in the fourth and two in the fifth. Mischler drove in one run with a fourth inning single, while Grundhauser blasted a solo homerun in the fifth. Senior
Emma Cooney (Livingston, N.J.) doubled in a run in the fifth for an 8-2 lead.
Thomas Jefferson scored one run in the sixth but Caldwell ended the game with a four-run sixth inning. Rodriguez drove in one run with a single, while Grundhauser connected on her second homerun of the game, this time a three-run shot, to end the game.
Senior
Mariah Culver (Owego, N.Y.) improved to 4-0, tossing 5 1/3 innings, allowing three runs on eight hits with two strikeouts.
Caldwell struck first in the nightcap as they took advantage of a Ram error to score two runs in the second inning. In the third inning, senior
Chloe VanGorder (Harveys Lake, Pa.) added a sacrifice fly, while Grundhauser drove in a run with a double.
The Cougars added two runs in the sixth as freshman
Allison Winters (Blairstown, N.J.) doubled in one run, while Cooney added a sacrifice fly in the inning.
Thomas Jefferson scored one run in the seventh but senior
Kayla Daly (Babylon, N.Y.) closed the door on a complete game effort. Daly (6-1) allowed one unearned run on four hits with two strikeouts in the win.
The Cougars travel to St. Thomas Aquinas College for a non-conference doubleheader on Sunday, March 27 at noon.