No. 25 Softball Rolls Past Caldwell, 6-0, To Advance To NCAA East Sub-Regional Final
Box Score
BROOKVILLE, N.Y. (May 14, 2011) – The No. 25 C.W. Post Pioneers put together a five-run fifth inning that helped them to a 6-0 win over Caldwell College in the second day of the NCAA East Regional Saturday morning at the Softball Complex.
C.W. Post improves to 38-14 and will face the Cougars Sunday morning at 10 a.m. in the final day in hopes of advancing to the super regional next weekend. Caldwell but stayed alive in the tournament by knocking out Molloy College, 5-2, later in the day to improve to 32-24.
Both teams stifled each other's offense as they played through four scoreless innings in the game. The Pioneers broke open the game in the top of the fifth with five runs, starting with an RBI double to right field off the bat of junior centerfielder Kerry Fisher (Barto, Pa.). Junior catcher Kristen Morcone (Milford, Mass.) plated two more runs with a double with a single up the middle that scored Fisher and freshman third baseman Nicole Hagenah (Commack, N.Y.). Freshman Britney Agostini (Dover, Del.) followed up with a pinch hit single up the middle that brought home designated player Jessica Julich (Kings Park, N.Y.) and advanced Morcone to second.
Caldwell tried to stop the bleeding by changing pitchers but Pioneers were not done scoring as junior right fielder #Krysta Palazzo# (Sea Cliff, N.Y.) added one more with a base hit up the middle to score Capella.
In the sixth inning, junior second baseman Kendall Bright (Manlius, N.Y.) drove in the sixth run when she doubled to left field to bring home Hagenah, who reached on a single to the shortstop.
The Cougars threatened in the bottom of the seventh with the bases loaded with three straight walks off starter Christina Berardi (Raynham, Mass.), who had only allowed one hit in the game, which came in the fifth inning. Senior Sarah Kiser (Arnold, Md.) came in relief and closed out the game with two strikeouts and a ground out.
Five Pioneers recorded two hits each in the game. Hagenah finished the game batting 2-for-3 with two runs scored while Morcone led the team with two RBI.
Berardi's stat sheet showed one hit through five innings with five walks and eight strikeouts for her 21st win of the season.
Caldwell starter Brittany Pulido took the loss after allowing five earned runs on 10 hits and two walks with three strikeouts.