CALDWELL, N.J. --  Junior shortstop Ashleigh Tavaska (Jackson, N.J.) doubled in a run in the first and rapped the game-clinching two-run single in the bottom of the sixth as Caldwell softball won the opener of its CACC twinbill with Bloomfield at Caldwell Athletic Field, 8-0, in six innings, shortened by the run rule. Bloomfield (19-19, 13-7 CACC) won the nightcap, 3-1, on Monday.

Senior pitcher/DP Allison Winters (Blairstown, N.J.) permitted just five hits in tossing the shutout for her ninth win of the season, and contributed a pair of RBI on a third inning sacrifice fly and fifth inning single. Junior RF Jessica Klein (Trevose, Pa.) had three hits, three runs scored and a stolen base in the triumph, and freshman catcher Taylor Quinn (Colonie, N.Y.) also had two hits and an RBI.

The Cougars (23-21, 11-11) took a 1-0 lead in the third on a triple by Quinn that followed a two-out double by Tavaska. After the Bears scratched ahead, 3-1, the hosts loaded the bases with two outs in the home seventh, but an infield pop up ended the game. Graduate righthander Madison Burns (East Greenbush, N.Y.) took the hard-luck defeat, permitting no earned runs and just three hits over the first six innings.

Caldwell steps out of CACC play for its final regular-season contest on Tuesday at Mercy, and awaits other league results this week to determine its qualification for the CACC Tournament that begins on Saturday at the higher seeds.