BRIDGEPORT, Conn. -- Sophomore DH Amanda Preston (Warwick, R.I.) drove in five runs and sophomore SS Maddie Matkosky (Horseheads, N.Y.) brought home four, leading Caldwell University softball to a game one victory and a split of its CACC doubleheader at Bridgeport at Seaside Park on Wednesday afternoon.

Caldwell (21-13 overall, 11-1 CACC) took the opener, 13-6, while Bridgeport won the nightcap, 7-4.

In game one, The Cougars built a 7-2 lead on the strength of Matkosky's two-run double in the third and a two-run two-bagger by Preston in the fifth. After the hosts pulled to within 7-6 in the bottom of the fifth, CU put it away with a five-run sixth, with RBI walks to Matkosky and sophomore RF Lexi Weiss (Norristown, Pa.) followed by Preston's bases-clearing, three run double past the diving Purple Knights' center fielder.

Junior righthander Katie O'Connor (Charlottesville, Va.) went the distance for her 10th win in the last 11 decisions.

In the nightcap, UB took an early 7-0 lead before the Cougars rallied for four in the top of the sixth. Freshman 1b Emerson Jarrard (Carlsbad, Calif.) got CU on the board with an RBI single, before sophomore catcher Emily Kurth (Toms River, N.J.) uncleared the bases with a three-run double to make it 7-4.

The Cougars loaded the bases with two outs in the seventh but couldn't score, snapping their 12 game win streak and suffering their first CACC defeat of the season.

With the game one victory, the first-place Cougars clinched a berth in the CACC Tournament, May 2-3 and 7-9.

Caldwell is back in action on Saturday at 2 p.m., hosting defending champion Wilmington in a twinbill.