CALDWELL, N.J. -- Freshman righthander Olivia Kennedy (Chenango Forks, N.Y.) tossed a three-hit shutout in the opener and freshman 3B Alexa Lee (Blackwood, N.J.) had three hits in each game as Caldwell softball (19-8, 12-1 CACC) swept a pair from league foe Alliance, 11-0 and 7-1 on Thursday.

In the opener, Kennedy was dominant, fanning nine and walking just one to raise her season record to 4-0 with a miniscule 0.90 ERA. Caldwell got off to a quick start, plating four in the first and three in the second. First-inning RBI doubles by sophomore SS Ashleigh Tavaska (Jackson, N.J) and soph DP Allison Winters (Blairstown, N.J.) sandwiched around a run-scoring triple by sophomore DP Allison Winters (Blairstown, N.J.) were followed in the second by a 2-run double by senior left fielder Emma Cooney (Livingston, N.J.) to stake Kennedy to all the runs she'd need. Lee was 3-for-3 in the game, scoring a run and driving in another in the contest, shortened to five innings by the eight-run rule.

The nightcap was more of the same, with two first-inning runs and three third-frame talies giving the hosts a 5-1 edge. Lee's RBI double in the third and RBI single in tne sixth were key hits for the Cougars, who also benefited from six Alliance errors. Graduate Madison Burns (East Greenbush, N.Y.) went the first six innings for her fifth win.

The Cougars, who have now won six straight and 16 of their last 17, return to the field on Tuesday in a showdown matchup of the top two teams in the CACC standings at Wilmington (2:30 p.m.) in Wilmington, Del.