CALDWELL, N.J. -- Sophomore CF Christian Petino Jr. (Flemington,  N.J.) delivered a two-run triple in the bottom of the sixth inning, plating the tying and go-ahead runs, as Caldwell baseball earned a split with CACC foe Georgian Court in a doubleheader at Kiwanis Oval on Monday. The Lions (6-26, 5-17 CACC) took the opener, 7-6, with a two-run, eighth-inning rally.

In Caldwell's win, the Cougars led, 2-0 on Petino's two-run home run right down the left field line in the second, After GCU edged ahead, 3-2, in their half of the sixth of the scheduled seven inning game, freshman 2B Devon Cass (New City, N.Y.) was hit by a pitch with one out, and junior catcher Chris Hopf (Middlesex, N.J.) followed with a walk. Petino then greeted the Lions' reliever with a first-pitch, opposite field drive that banged off the wall, bringing in both runs for the 4-3 lead.

Sophomore righthander John Rigas (Lincoln Park, N.J.) pitched a hitless seventh to earn his second save, making a winner of junior righty Matt Perez (Washington Twp., N.J.), who tossed a scoreless sixth.

In the opener, CU (17-18, 10-14) took a 3-0 lead on a double steal by junior RF Stephen Young Jr. (Middlesex, N.J.) and junior SS Christian Rinick (Marlton, N.J.), with Rinick scoring on the play, an RBI triple by senior 3B Sean Brown (West Orange, N.J.) and a clutch two-out RBI single by sophomore C Akkash Santiago (Toms River, N.J.). After the Lions took the lead, Santiago delivered a chopper over the drawn-in infield into left field for a two-run single to put CU back up 5-4.

The two team continue their four-game set with a pair of games in Jackson, N.J. on Wednesday, beginning at 10:30 a.m.