GARDEN CITY, N.Y. -- A late rally fell short as the Caldwell softball season came to an abrupt halt at the NCAA Division II East 1 Regional at Janet L. Finke Field at Adelphi University, falling to eighth seeded STAC (32-17), 4-2. Two hits each by seniors Maya Rodriguez (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) and Emma Cooney (Livingston, N.J.) and soph SS Ashleigh Tavaska (Jackson, N.J) were not enough as the fifth-seeded Cougars (35-19) fell behind, 4-0, and couldn't recover fully.

Trailing by that margin entering the home half of the fourth, the Cougar bats came to life. On Cooney's single to third, Tavaska came around to score from second and Cooney advanced to third on a throwing error. After another STAC infield miscue on a liner by freshman catcher Delaney Ridgell (Mt. Airy, Md.) put runners on first and third, sophomore DP Brooke Martin (Oakland, Maine) brought in Cooney with an RBI fielder's choice. 

Caldwell put baserunners on in each of the next three frames, including two in the fifth and seventh, but couldn't get any runs across as STAC advanced to play Bentley in the second elimination game of the day.

Three Cougars pitches combined to allow six hits, with graduate righties Madison Burns (East Greenbush, N.Y.) and Kayla Daly (Babylon, N.Y.) each tossing two scoreless innings of relief.

In addition to Cooney, Daly, Burns and Rodriguez, the game marked the last career appearances in a Caldwell uniform for seniors Taylor Mischler (Endicott, N.Y.), Courtney Grundhauser (Easton, Pa.), Paige Silvia (Taunton, Mass.), Danielle Kroll (Tinton Falls, N.J.) and Mariah Culver (Owego, N.Y.).