Cougars Softball

CALDWELL WINS THREE GAMES TO REPEAT AS CACC TOURNAMENT CHAMPS

5-7-05
CALDWELL, N.J. – The Caldwell College softball team survived a 12-inning marathon with Goldey-Beacom College, then defeated Georgian Court University twice to capture its second straight Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference Tournament title Saturday afternoon at Caldwell Field. The Cougars (39-9) will receive an automatic bid to the NCAA Division II Northeast Region Tournament, held May 12-15 at a site to be announced on Monday. Junior Jessica Saunders (Glen Burnie, MD) pitched a total of 16 2/3 innings on the day to earn the tournament’s Most Valuable Player award.

The day started with a pitching dual between Saunders and Goldey-Beacom freshman Kendra Russell (New Castle, DE) in an elimination game. The two combined to allow just nine hits and no runs through the first seven innings. In the top half of the eighth, Devon O’Brien (Wilmington, DE) drew a two-out walk, then scored on Russell’s double to right centerfield for the first run of the game. Carrie Flasphaler (Horseheads, NY) led off the Cougars’ half of the eighth with a single, then advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Desiree Wilson (Gloucester City, NJ). Junior Amy Coker (Pennsville, NJ) followed with a line-out, leaving the Cougars one out from elimination. With two strikes against her, junior Katie Jackson (Pennsville, NJ) drove the ball into right centerfield, and Flasphaler beat the throw home to tie the game at 1-1. After three more scoreless innings, sophomore Anna Dahl (Lindenwold, NJ) (pictured right) led off the bottom of the 12^th with a home run to left field to win the game and keep the Cougars alive in the tournament. Saunders pitched all 12 innings to earn the victory, while Russell went the distance for the Lightning (27-18).

The marathon victory allowed the Cougars to face second-seeded Georgian Court, which defeated top-seeded Caldwell 2-0 on Friday. Jackson put the Cougars on the board first with a two-run homer to left in the fourth inning off of Lions’ starter Sherry Keech, who pitched a shutout against Caldwell the day before. Then in the fifth inning, Coker singled home a pair of runs and later scored on an RBI single by Jackson to make the score 5-0. Georgian Court rallied for a pair of runs in the top of the seventh, when Heather Walker (Hanover, Ontario) doubled home Nicole Fortino (Brick, NJ) and later scored on a fielder’s choice. But the Cougars held on to win and force a second game with the Lions to determine the champion. Dahl pitched a complete game, allowing four hits, two walks and two runs while striking out six to improve to 15-4.

Saunders came back on about two-and-a-half hours’ rest to start the final game for Caldwell, retiring the first nine batters she faced. In the bottom of the third, Coker and Jackson singled back-to-back, then moved to second and third on a sacrifice bunt from sophomore Jackie Velardi (Belleville, NJ). Dahl knocked home Coker with a single to left, then junior Kim Birmingham (Pine Hill, NJ) plated two runs with a single to left to put the Cougars up 3-0. The Lions got one run back in the top of the fourth on Fortino’s two-out single to make the score 3-1. Saunders’ long day ended in the fifth after recording two outs and allowing a walk and a single, giving way to freshman Kristen de la Campa ( Whitman, MA). After Autumn Florez (Manchester, NJ) drew a walk to load the bases, Ashley Wierema (Mundelein, IL) roped a shot up the middle. Junior shortstop Gina D’Amico (Turnersville, NJ) dove to her left to snare the grounder, then flipped the ball to Coker for the force out at second to end the inning and end the threat. De la Campa finished out the game, pitching 2 1/3 scoreless innings to earn her first save of the season. Saunders improved to 16-5 after allowing three hits, a run and a walk while striking out five. Jade Reid (Brampton, Ontario) took the loss for Georgian Court (28-16).

The Cougars, who are ranked 11^th in the latest National Fastpitch Coaches Association Division II Top 25 Poll, will defend their NCAA Division II Northeast Region Tournament crown next week. Last season, Caldwell went 45-7 and advanced to the College Softball World Series after winning both the CACC and Northeast Region tournaments.

2005 CACC Softball All-Tournament Team
Jessica Saunders, Caldwell College – MVP
Anna Dahl, Caldwell College
Gina D’Amico, Caldwell College
Carrie Flasphaler, Caldwell College
Katie Jackson, Caldwell College
Sherry Keech, Georgian Court
Julie Sito, Georgian Court
Heather Walker, Georgian Court
Ashley Wierema, Georgian Court
Tiffany Frick, Goldey-Beacom
Devon O’Brien, Goldey-Beacom
Kendra Russell, Goldey-Beacom
Dara DeSoccio, Felician
Jackie Scarpari, Felician
Nikki Shallcross, Wilmington