Boxscore Game 1
Boxscore Game 2
Photo Gallery
PIKE CREEK, Del. – The Goldey-Beacom College softball team earned its first win against perennial Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference power Caldwell College since Apr. 18, 2006 in game two of Sat.'s conference season opening doubleheader on a bitter cold, windy afternoon at Nancy Churchman-Sawin Field.
GBC (8-4, 1-1 CACC) twice held one-run leads and was nipping at the Cougars' heels in game one behind a strong pitching performance by sophomore Leanne Miller. But a two-run Caldwell fifth inning put the visitors in front by a run, and Goldey-Beacom went on to leave two runners (one on third base) stranded in the bottom of the seventh as they fell by a count of 4-3.
In game two, it was the Lightning who rallied from behind in the bottom of the sixth for three runs after a scoreless first five frames, and they hung on for a stunning, 3-2 win behind the arm of senior pitcher Heather Draper.
Caldwell, the nearly unanimous pre-season favorite to win the CACC after going 42-16 with 23 conference wins in 2010, saw its 2011 record move to 5-11 overall, and 1-1 in league play after today's games.
Game 1:
Miller got the start in the circle in game one for Coach Streets' Lightning squad, and she did everything she could to keep Goldey-Beacom in the game. In a complete game effort, Miller allowed just four earned runs on eight hits and one walk while striking out three in 30 batters faced.
Caldwell opened the scoring in the top of the second courtesy of a one-out double to right-center field by Mariah Lucena and an RBI single by Cassandra Cefolo.
The Lightning bats responded with two runs in the bottom half of the second on two hits and a Cougar error. Junior Jordan Waterloo, who came into today's games having reached safely in six of her last seven at-bats, led the inning off with a walk, and junior Shannon O'Hara and freshman Roni Peters followed with base-hits to load the bases.
Freshman Michelle Foster stepped up to the plate with one out and the bases loaded, and a bizarre play ensued after she hit a dribbler to second base. Caldwell's Dia Cascone alertly threw to home plate to get the force out at home for the second out of the inning, but then catcher Marisa Tamez had the ball slip out of her hand as she tried to throw to first and end the inning with a double play. The errant throw resulted in O'Hara and Peters both coming around to score to give GBC a 2-1 lead.
Kelly Ryan led off the top of the third for Caldwell with base-hit, and came around to score on an RBI single by Patti Garofolo as the Cougars knotted the score at two apiece.
In the bottom of the fourth, junior Cailin Cavanaugh ripped a triple to left-center field and came home on an RBI single by Peters to once more give the Lightning a one-run lead, 3-2.
The Cougars, however, would rally in the fifth for two runs on two hits and a Lightning error. Another leadoff single by Ryan got things started for Caldwell. Ryan advanced to second on a passed ball, went to third on an error, and scored on a double by Cascone. Later in the inning, Garofolo's sacrifice fly to bring home Cascone, would be the difference in the game as it gave Caldwell a 4-3 advantage.
GBC did not make much noise offensively in the fifth and sixth innings, but were threatening in the seventh before Caldwell starting pitcher Brittany Pulido shut the door on the Lightning with two consecutive strikeouts to end her complete game victory.
Lightning leadoff hitter, freshman Ashley Zaccaria started the final frame with a double to center field and advanced to third after a groundout to the first baseman by junior Ashley Paige. Junior Danie Rice then walked on four straight pitches, and it was first and third with one out for Waterloo.
Pulido then struck out Waterloo and O'Hara (the Lightning's fourth and fifth batters in the line-up) consecutively to end the game.
Game 2:
Draper got the start in game two, and she went all seven frames, only giving up one run in the second and fourth innings. The senior pitcher gave up just two runs (one earned) on six hits and two walks while striking out one.
Meanwhile, the Lightning could not manage a hit until Rice's double in the bottom of the fourth. Caldwell's Kourtney Wilson had retired every batter she faced up until that point, and went on to retire the next two in order to end the inning.
GBC tagged Wilson for two hits as the hosts threatened in the bottom of the fifth, still down 2-0. Foster and Paige both singled, and moved up to second and third, respectively after a sacrifice bunt by senior Jackie Waddle. But Zaccaria left both stranded as she popped up to the shortstop.
As Draper continued to keep the Lightning in striking distance through six innings, the Goldey-Beacom offense came alive in the bottom of the sixth. Rice started the rally with a one-out walk, and junior Shannon Graves came in to pinch run. Waterloo followed Rice's at-bat with a base-hit to left, and suddenly the Lightning had two aboard with just one out.
Coach Streets then called in sophomore Erin Poffenberger to pinch hit for O'Hara, and Poffenberger came through with an outstanding at-bat, during which she fouled off multiple pitches to eventually draw a walk after she had fallen behind 1-and-2 in the count.
Up next with the bases loaded was Cavanaugh, who also drew a walk to bring home Graves from third and advance the other baserunners.
Then after Paige went down on strikes for the second out of the inning, Foster turned a 2-1 deficit into a 3-2 lead as she smacked a 2 RBI single into center field to score Waterloo and Poffenberger.
The Poffenberger run would prove to be the game-winner, as Draper faced just four batters before making it out of the final frame to give her Lightning a thrilling, 4-3 win.
GBC was out-hit 14-12 and committed six errors to Caldwell's one during the two games today, but were good enough to earn a split against a Caldwell team that has earned a berth in the NCAA East Regional six of the last seven years.
Foster, who had the game-winning 2 RBI hit in game two, led the Lightning offensively with three hits and four RBI for the day.
