Softball falls to Caldwell in doubleheader

CALDWELL, New Jersey - The American International College softball team dropped a pair of games in Caldwell, N.J., against the Caldwell University Cougars on Tuesday, March 22.

FAST FACTS:
Game 1:
Final Score: Caldwell 8, AIC 0
Records: The Yellow Jackets move to 2-6 while Caldwell moves to 6-3.
Pitching Decisions: Win:Mariah Culver (3-0),Loss: Riley Sullivan (0-4)

Game 2:
Final Score: Caldwell 8, AIC 4
Records: The Yellow Jackets move to 2-7 while Caldwell moves to 7-3.
Pitching Decisions: Win:Kayla Daly (5-1),Loss:Isabella Erti(2-2)

KEY STATS:
Game 1:
AIC:
Destiny McGrath: One hit
Leah Twyman: One hit
Abigail Wells: One hit

Caldwell:
Lauren Stansell: Two runs, two hits, three RBI, one home run
Jessica Klein: Two runs, two hits, one RBI
Courtney Grundhauser: One run, one hit, one RBI, one triple

Game 2:
AIC:
Victoria Andrade: One hit, three RBI, one double
Kodi Gora: Two runs, two hits, one double
Trinadey Santiago: Two hits, one double

Caldwell:
Allison Winters: One hit, three RBI, one double
Taylor Mischler: Two hits, two RBI, one triple
Maya Rodriguez: One run, one hit, one RBI

GAME ONE:

• The Cougars opened up the scoring early and often as Lauren Stansell scored in the first inning on a sacrifice fly to center field from Courtney Grundhauser. From there they added another three to the scoreboard in the second inning, as Stansell brought Jessica Klein and Allison Winters to the plate on a homer to right field. The Cougars would add four more to their lead before the end of the third inning, which sealed their victory over the Yellow Jackets.

GAME TWO:

• The second game of the double header proved kinder to the Yellow Jackets as they battled back from being down 5-0 in the second inning. The Cougars added three to the board in the first inning, with Allison Winters bringing in three runs on a double and an advance to third on the throw.
• The Yellow Jackets started their push in the fourth when Victoria Andrade doubled to left field to bring home Kodi Gora and Alexis Jimenez, cutting the Cougars lead to 5-2.
• In the sixth, Andrade reached first on a throwing error, allowing Gora to advance to third and bringing Lilly Acampora home and the score to 5-3. Leah Twyman sacrificed herself to get Gora across home plate and the score to a close 5-4. However, it wasn't enough as Caldwell was able to add three more to its lead in the bottom of the sixth and secure their 8-4 victory over the Yellow Jackets.

NEXT UP:

• The Yellow Jackets are back in action on the road at the University of New Haven to take on the Chargers in a double header starting at 12 p.m. on Saturday, March 26.