CALDWELL SOFTBALL CAPTURES THIRD STRAIGHT CACC TOURNAMENT
5-6-06
CC 3, DC 1
CALDWELL,
N.J. - With a 3-1 victory over Dominican College, the Caldwell College
softball team won its third consecutive Central Atlantic Collegiate
Conference Softball Tournament Saturday afternoon at Caldwell Field. The
Cougars, who are now 36-15 on the season, earn the conference's automatic
bid to the NCAA Northeast Region Tournament, which will begin on Thursday,
May 11. Senior infielder Amy Coker (Pennsville, NJ/Pennsville), left,
who drove in the game's winning run in the sixth inning, was named the
tournament's Most Valuable Player.
The Chargers (37-17) struck first in their first at-bat. Kristine Knuth led
off the game with a double to left field, then later scored on Katie
Farrugia's double to right. Dominican starter Michelle Bark held the Cougars
to just one hit through the first four innings before Caldwell broke through
in the fifth. Sophomore Carrie Flasphaler (Horseheads, NY/Horseheads)
started the rally with a single and moved to second on a sacrifice by
sophomore Alyssa Speno (Waterloo, NY/Waterloo). Sophomore Nicole
Bodrog (Mt. Laurel, NJ/Lenape) followed with a double to right
centerfield to score Flasphaler and tie the game at 1-1.
Caldwell
would take the lead for good in the bottom of the sixth. With one out,
senior Gina D'Amico (Turnersville, NJ/Washington Twp.) singled to
left, then went to second on a bunt single by junior Jackie Velardi
(Belleville, NJ/Belleville). Coker then stepped up and roped a double to
left centerfield, bringing home D'Amico and senior Kristi Godfrey
(West Babylon, NY/West Babylon), who pinch-ran for Velardi, for a 3-1 lead.
Coker's key hit followed an outstanding defensive play in the top-half of
the sixth, when she snared a hard-hit ball off the bat of Sarah Beck and
doubled up Farrugia, who had led off with a single.
Junior pitcher Anna Dahl (Lindenwold, NJ/Camden Catholic), right,
gave up six hits and one run in six innings before giving way to senior
Jessica Saunders (Glen Burnie, MD/Archbishop Spaulding) in the seventh.
After giving up a single to Michelle Krupna, Saunders struck out the next
three batters to clinch Caldwell's third win of the tournament and third
straight CACC Tournament title. Dahl also struck out eight batters and
improved to 15-6 on the year, while Saunders earned her first save of the
season. Bark went the distance, allowing six hits and three runs in six
innings to drop to 13-6.
"Winning
three conference tournaments in a row is quite an accomplishment, but it was
fitting that we got such big contributions from our seniors today," Caldwell
head coach Dean Johnson said. "They have meant so much to this
program and the College during their time here, and I'm happy for them that
they can go out on top."
Four of the six Cougars on the all-Tournament team are seniors, including
the MVP Coker. Saunders, outfielder Katie Jackson (Pennsville,
NJ/Pennsville) and first baseman Kim Birmingham (Pine Hill,
NJ/Overbrook) were the other seniors to make the all-Tournament squad. Dahl
and Flasphaler were also honored.
The Cougars, ranked 12th nationally, will make their third consecutive trip
to the NCAA Northeast Region Tournament, which begins on Thursday, May 11.
The site, game times and seeds will be announced on Monday, May 7.
2006 CACC Softball Tournament at Caldwell College
Thursday, May 4
Game 1: No. 5 Bloomfield 7, No. 4 Goldey-Beacom 3 -
box score
Game 2: No. 3 Georgian Court 6, No. 6 Felician 4 -
box score
Game 3: No. 1 Caldwell 1, No. 5 Bloomfield 0 (14 inn.) -
box score
Game 4: No. 2 Dominican 6, No. 3 Georgian Court 2 -
box score
Game 5: No. 6 Felician 5, No. 4 Goldey-Beacom 1 -
box score
Friday, May 5
Game 6: No. 6 Felician 8, No. 5 Bloomfield 0 -
box score
Game 7: No. 6 Felician 12, No. 3 Georgian Court 3 -
box score
Game 8: No. 1 Caldwell 9, No. 2 Dominican 3 -
box score
Saturday, May 6
Game 9: No. 2 Dominican 7, No. 6 Felician 2 -
box score
Game 10: No. 1 Caldwell 3, No. 2 Dominican 1 -
box score
CACC
All-Tournament Team
Amy Coker, Caldwell (MVP)
Kim Birmingham, Caldwell
Anna Dahl, Caldwell
Carrie Flasphaler, Caldwell
Katie Jackson, Caldwell
Jessica Saunders, Caldwell
Michelle Bark, Dominican
Sarah Beck, Dominican
Katie Farrugia, Dominican
Christine Stathes, Dominican
Jen Barnes, Felician
Heather Van Dyke, Felician
Holly Van Dyke, Felician
Christine Iacovino, Georgian Court
Anna Leighty, Georgian Court
Fauna Ryerson, Bloomfield
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