COUGARS SOFTBALL

COUGARS BOUNCE BACK WITH TWO WINS AT REBEL GAMES; JOHNSON WINS 300TH

3-20-06
CC 7, SNHU 1
CC 3, Eckerd 2
KISSIMMEE, Fla. – After losing their first four games of the 2006 season, the Caldwell College softball team won both of its games on Monday at the Rebel Spring Games, played at the Osceola County Softball Complex. The Cougars (2-4) defeated Southern New Hampshire University, 7-1, then edged Eckerd College, 3-2 in the nightcap. The wins give Caldwell head coach Dean Johnson 300 victories for his career.

In 11-plus seasons at Caldwell, Johnson has compiled a career mark of 300-148 as the Cougars' skipper. The four-time Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference Coach of the Year, Johnson has piloted his team to back-to-back conference regular-season and tournament crowns over the past two seasons. In 2004, Johnson and assistant coach Barbara Zafiris were named the Northeast Region Coaching Staff of the Year after the Cougars captured the region tournament and advanced to the Women's College World Series.

In the day’s first game, the Cougars took their first lead of the young season in the third inning on a two-out bases-loaded single by junior Anna Dahl (Lindenwold, NJ/Camden Catholic) that scored senior Amy Coker (Pennsville, NJ/Pennsville) and sophomore Carrie Flasphaler (Horseheads, NY/Horseheads). Caldwell extended its lead to 4-0 in the bottom of the fourth, when Flasphaler singled home senior Kim Birmingham (Pine Hill, NJ/Overbrook), pictured, then later scored on an error. In the fifth, four singles, including another two-out hit with the bases loaded by senior Sara Neely (Middlesex, NJ/Middlesex), helped the Cougars plate three runs to take a 7-0 advantage. Senior pitcher Jessica Saunders (Glen Burnie, MD/Archbishop Spaulding) kept SNHU at bay, fanning seven while giving up one run and five hits in six innings of work for her first win of the season. 

Again the Cougars jumped out to an early lead in the game against Eckerd, as Birmingham doubled home senior Gina D’Amico (Turnersville, NJ/Washington Twp.) and sophomore Nicole Bodrog (Mt. Laurel, NJ/Lenape) in the top of the second. But the Tritons answered with two unearned runs in the bottom of the second to tie the score at 2-2. The game remained tied until the top of the fourth, when Coker’s infield single plated Flasphaler for the go-ahead run. Freshman pitcher Ceci Goforth (Houston, TX/St. Agnes Academy) made the lead stand, blanking the Tritons over 3 2/3 innings in relief of starter Kristen de la Campa (Whitman, MA/Whitman Hanson) for her first collegiate save. Senior Katie Jackson (Pennsville, NJ/Pennsville) had two doubles in the game against Eckerd and three two-baggers on the day.

The Cougars, ranked 16th in the nation, play the same two teams on Tuesday, facing SNHU at 10:40 a.m. and Eckerd at 2:20 p.m.

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