CALDWELL, N.J. -- Late-inning heroics are kind of a thing around Caldwell Athletic Field these days. Walkoff wins have become the norm, and Caldwell University softball took seventh- and extra-inning duties seriously in sweeping Mercy in non-league action on a chilly Wednesday afternoon into the evening.

In the opener, junior righthander Katie O'Connor (Charlottesville, Va.) allowed no earned runs in going the distance for the seventh time in her last eight starts, earning her seventh win. She was the beneficiary of a bit of baserunning derring-do by freshman RF Kendall Mazur (Millville, N.J.), who reached on an error with two outs, stole second, then stole third and scored when the catcher's throw skipped into left field for the tiebreaking clincher.

Game two tested all their resolve the Cougars (16-12) could muster, with an RBI double by sophomore catcher Emily Kurth (Toms River, N.J.) in the bottom of the seventh capping a comeback from 6-1 in the third. 

Mercy (12-12) scored four in the top of the eighth, but Caldwell was undaunted, putting five up in the bottom of the frame, with RBI hits by sophomore 2B Maddie Matkosky (Horseheads, N.Y.), freshman DP Eden Ehle (Medford Lakes, N.J.) and sophomore pinch hitter Amanda Preston (Warwick, R.I.) preceding Mazur's winning single through the left side for the win.

Kurth finished with four hits and six RBI on the day, Mazur drove in three runs and scored two, freshman 1B Emerson Jarrard (Carlsbad, Calif.) and Ehle had four  hits apiece.

Caldwell next hosts Goldey-Beacom on Saturday at noon at Caldwell Athletic Field.