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Box Score 2 CALDWELL, N.J. – The Felician University softball team defeated Caldwell University for the first time since 2012 with a 14-12, eight-inning victory over the host Cougars in Game 2 of the teams' Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference doubleheader on Sunday at Caldwell Field. Felician, however, was eliminated from CACC playoff contention with its 7-3 loss to Caldwell in Game 1.
Felician (15-24, 10-14 CACC) concluded the 26th season in program history. Caldwell is listed at No. 2 in the most recent NCAA Division II Committee East Region rankings.
Golden Falcon sophomore third baseman Daisha Howard (Westbury, N.Y.) was 5 for 8 on the day. During Game 2, she had a triple and two home runs, tying the school single-game record of 11 total bases that she already shared with Ciera Clark. Sophomore shortstop Mia Martinez (Bronx, N.Y.) went 5 for 9.
With a single in each game, Felician senior first baseman Krystina Lorch (Hemet, Calif.) concluded her career with exactly 100 base hits. She is the 23rd Golden Falcon softball player to reach that milestone.
Sunday's games were the final two CACC contests of the regular season. Felician entered the day needing two victories to force a four-way tie for the conference's final two playoff spots, out of which they would have emerged with the eighth and final seed. But in the opener, the Golden Falcons suffered their 18th consecutive loss to the Cougars, dating back to an 8-0 victory in the opening round of the 2012 CACC Tournament.
Caldwell (34-13, 19-5) erased an early 1-0 deficit with three runs in the bottom of the second inning. Felician sliced its deficit in half in the third on an RBI single by Martinez, but a two-run home run by Cougar freshman Ashleigh Tavaska (Jackson, N.J.) made the score 5-2.
That was enough room for Caldwell senior pitcher Mariah Culver (Owego, N.Y.). She allowed Martinez's run-scoring double in the fifth, but otherwise kept the Golden Falcons off the scoreboard the rest of the way. Culver gave up eight hits and one walk with five strikeouts. Chloe VanGorder (Harveys Lake, Pa.) homered during the Cougars' two-run sixth and finished 2 for 3. Jaylene Sierra (Jersey City, N.J.) joined Howard and Martinez with two hits for Felican.
The nightcap saw the teams combine for 26 runs on 32 hits and compete for 2 ½ hours. Felician erased an 11-5 deficit with seven runs in the top of the sixth inning. The Golden Falcons put their first three runners on base before a forceout at home place temporarily stalled the rally. But Sierra pulled a two-run single down the left field line and Howard followed with a three-run home run. Still down a run, Felician again filled the bags with three singles. The Cougars attempted another force at home, but an overthrow allowed the tying and go-ahead runs to score.
During the home half of the sixth, Tavaska singled, stole second base, and circled around to score when the throw was wild. With both Game 1 starting pitchers, Felician's Trinity Garcia (West Covina, Calif.) (5-6) and Culver (15-6) now on in relief, a scoreless seventh led to extra innings. With two on and one out, the visitors moved ahead on consecutive Caldwell errors and tacked on another run when Alexis Velotta (Menifee, Calif.) was hit with a bases-loaded pitch. Caldwell put runners on second and third with two outs during the bottom of the eighth but Garcia induced a flyout.
Felician had not won a regular-season game from Caldwell since 2005, dropping 32 in a row. Howard, Chierchia and Martinez had three hits each for Felician, while Sierra drove in three runs. Six of the Golden Falcons' 17 hits, and seven of Caldwell's 15, went for extra bases.
