CALDWELL, N.J.- Caldwell University softball graduate Kayla Daly (Babylon, N.Y.) earned the win in the opener, while senior Emma Cooney (Livingston, N.J.) and sophomore Brooke Martin (Oakland, Maine) blasted homeruns in the nightcap as the Cougars swept a non-conference doubleheader against the University of New Haven. The Cougars outlasted the Chargers in the opener 5-4 and won the nightcap 6-1.
 
The Cougars improve to 5-7, while the Chargers fall to 2-13.
 
Caldwell got on board in the opening inning of game one without a getting a hit as sophomore Jessica Klein (Trevose, Pa.) drew a walk, stole second and moved to third on a flyout. Senior Maya Rodriguez (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) grounded out to score Klein.
 
The Cougars added four runs in the second as freshman Alexa Lee (Blackwood, N.J.) doubled in one run, while Klein singled in a run with a second run scoring on the play on a Charger error. Sophomore Ashleigh Tavaska (Jackson, N.J.) singled in a run to push the score to 5-0.
 
New Haven rallied in the third as they scored four runs in the inning to close the gap to 5-4.
 
Daly came on in relief, tossing five scoreless innings, allowing one hit, striking out three to earn the win and improve to 1-3 on the season. Freshman Delaney Ridgell (Mt. Airy, Md.) went 3-for-3 with a double in the opener, while freshman Cameron Fehsal (Succasunna, N.J.) went 2-for-2 with two steals.
 
Caldwell struck first in the nightcap as Cooney drew a leadoff walk in the second inning. She stole second and scored in a single by Martin. The Chargers answered in the fourth with a tying run to pill even at 1-1.
 
The Cougars added two runs in the fourth as Ridgell singled, while Martin blasted the team's first homerun of the season with a two-run shot for a 3-1 lead. Rodriguez led off with a single in the fifth inning. Pinch runner Fehsal scored on a two-run homerun by Cooney. Caldwell added a run in the sixth on a New Haven error.
 
Rodriguez went 3-for-4 in game two, while Martin drove in three runs, going 3-for-3. Senior Mariah Culver (Owego, N.Y.) was sensational in the circle, tossing a complete game three-hitter, allowing one run, and striking out 10 to improve to 1-3.
 
The Cougars host Mercy College in a non-conference doubleheader on Thursday, March 23 at 2:30 pm.