CALDWELL, N.J. – Caldwell College scored six times in the third inning and four more in the fourth en route to a 10-2, five-inning Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference softball victory over visiting Felician College on Monday afternoon at Caldwell Field. Caldwell (40-5, 24-2 CACC) is ranked No. 10 in the most recent national NCAA Division II coaches' poll and second regionally.

Felician (19-22, 11-15) was playing its final game of 2014. Caldwell will be the top seed in the CACC Tournament that starts on Thursday.

The Golden Falcons sent freshman Dyonna Pagliocca (Wood-Ridge, N.J./Wood-Ridge) to the pitching circle for her first career start. After 2 ½ innings, Pagliocca and Felician owned a 1-0 lead. Sophomore Amanda Lopez (Riverbank, N.J./Riverbank) drew a walk to lead off the top of the second and advanced on a single by Jackie Dueñas (Riverside, Calif./Arlington). Lopez moved up to third base on Mercedes Montanez's (Vista, Calif./Rancho Buena Vista) sacrifice and scored on an illegal pitch.

But the Cougars exploded for six runs in the bottom of the third, posting eight consecutive hits off of Pagliocca (0-1) and reliever Alleigha Robinson (Kent, Wash./Kentlake). Brielle Reighn's (Runnemeade, N.J./Triton Regional) RBI single put Caldwell ahead for good, Alyssa Calderon (Fontana, Calif./Etiwanda) followed with a two-run double, and Megan Fryday (San Marcos, Calif./Mission Hills) chased Pagliocca with a two-run home run.

An RBI single by Felician junior Zharde Sellona (Aliso Viejo, Calif./Aliso Niguel) in the top of the fourth pulled the visitors to within 6-2, but Caldwell put the game away in the bottom half. Calderon had another two-run double and Gracie Sullivan (Elmhurst, Ill./York) a two-run single to put the Cougars ahead by eight.

The Golden Falcons threatened to extend the game by putting two on with two out in the top of the fifth, but reliever Lindsay Truan (San Jose, Calif./Leland) induced a fly ball to right field to end the game. Felician left nine runners on base.

The Cougars out-hit Felician, 13-7. Calderon finished with four RBI. Caldwell starting pitcher Amber Padilla (Chino, Calif./Pomona Catholic) (14-3) allowed five hits, struck out three and walked three in four innings. Montanez was 2 for 2 and scored a run for the Golden Falcons.