Lakewood, N.J. – Junior third baseman Kelly Mascari (Syracuse, N.Y./Westhill/Buffalo) had a pair of run-scoring singles to lead the Le Moyne College softball team to a 4-1 victory over Caldwell University on Saturday afternoon in the fifth game of the NCAA Division II Softball Championship East 1 Regional at Georgian Court University.

The Dolphins advance to the regional championship and will need to defeat Southern New Hampshire University twice on Sunday to advance to the East Super Regional. The Dolphins and Penmen will meet for the third time in nine days at 10:00 a.m. on Sunday and if the Dolphins win, they will square off again at 12:30 to decide the champion.

The Dolphins opened the scoring just three batters into the game. After drawing a one-out walk, senior right fielder Kirsten Trotta (Wilmington, Del./Alexis I. Dupont) scored from first on a single to left center by Mascari.

Le Moyne extended its lead to 3-0 in the fifth with two runs on three hits. Senior left fielder Allison Reynolds (Penfield, N.Y./Penfield) led off with a bunt single and then moved to second on a single to left field by junior all-region shortstop Courtney Case (Pittsford, N.Y./Pittsford Mendon). After a sacrifice bunt by Trotta, Mascari singled down the left field line to plate Reynolds. Junior center fielder Sabrina Riley (Deer Park, N.Y./Deer Park) followed with a sacrifice fly to left to drive in Case.

The Dolphins added an insurance run in the top of the sixth inning. Sophomore second baseman Tess Andrews (Camillus, N.Y./West Genesee) led off with a single to left center, but was retired at second as senior designated player Mackenzie Dreher (Hinckley, Ohio/Walsh Jesuit) reached on a  fielder's choice. After a four-pitch walk by senior first baseman Cara Cawley (Endwell, N.Y./Maine-Endwell) and Reynolds getting hit by a pitch to load the bases, Case lifted a sacrifice fly to left field to knock in Dreher.

Caldwell broke through with one run in the sixth on two hits, but could not cut into its deficit more. Center fielder Amy Hickman and left fielder Caitlin McCready opened the frame with back-to-back singles. After a foul out, Hickman scored from second as Case and Reynolds collided in foul territory on a sacrifice fly by catcher Marisa Monasseri.

Sophomore righty Alexis Eastman (Endicott, N.Y./Union-Endicott) struck out five over seven innings to earn her 21st win of the season, while yielding the one run and scattering five hits, all of which came off the bat of Hickman and McCready. Andrews joined Mascari in posting two hits for the Dolphins. Sydney Ponto took the loss for the Cougars after allowing four runs on seven hits over five and one-third innings of work.