SOUTHAMPTON, Pa. -- Senior Lauren Marks (Parsippany, N.J.) ripped off three straight strikes to close the first game of the best-of-seven Baker format for a one-point Cougars win, then finished off the third game with two strikes to cap a Cougars rally as Caldwell Bowling successfully defended its CACC title, beating Wilmington, 2-1, in the Finals on Sunday at Pike Lanes.

Caldwell won the Traditional Game, 932-894, behind solid efforts by junior Yoana Hyman-Cruz (Edison, N.J.), who bowled a team-best 221, and sophomore Samantha Glunk (Chatham, N.J.), who also cracked the 200 mark at 204. Freshman Allie Rumfield (Phillipsburg, N.J.) was also big with 181, and freshman Alexandra Sardis (Milltown, N.J.) posted a 172.

WU battled back to win the Baker format, forcing the best-of-seven Megamatch. Needing three strikes in the 10th frame of Game 1, Marks drilled ten in the pit three times for one-pin win, 180-179. After WU won the second game, the Cougars trailed most of Game 3 until some late strikes followed by two 10th-frame X's by Marks, who was named Tournament Most Valuable Bowler, for a 178-173 triumph. With the match tied at, 3-3, the Cougars bowled a clean 203 with four strikes, including a double by Sardis and Glunk in the eighth and ninth frames to put the match away, 203-164.

"I knew what needed to happen, mathematically; I saw what was necessary," explained Marks about her three-strike Baker best-of-seven opening game-winning frame. "I wanted to come through for my team and just wanted to throw three good shots.

"Everybody sort of came together at the right time and supported one another," added Marks," and it worked out in the end."

"They are grinders," said Head Coach Ken Yokobosky of his top-seeded Cougars. "Challenging conditions out there, but they made the shots, made the majority of their spares, and on a tough condition like this, that's what it takes. I'm just proud of the gals the way they fought all year."

Marks, Glunk and Sardis were named to the All-Tournament Team.