WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. – The Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) softball team came back from a four-run deficit to defeat The College of Staten Island, 5-4, in eight innings on Saturday afternoon at Cole Field. With the win, the Engineers improve to 27-13 overall and advance to face Williams in the NCAA regional championship tomorrow (12pm), needing two wins over the Ephs to move on. The Dolphins conclude their season at 34-9.

Trailing 4-0 in the top of the third, senior designated player Stephanie Caudle (Gainesville, FL/Gainesville) doubled into the corner in right, plating junior catcher Christine White (Acushnet, MA/Tabor Academy) from second. Freshman Cam Caswell (Prospect, CT/Woodland Regional) then hit a line drive home run to right center, pulling RPI to within 4-3.

Caudle tied the game at 4-4 with a solo homer to center – her team-leading eighth of the year – with two outs in the top of the fifth.

After a scoreless sixth, the Dolphins threaten to end things in the bottom of the seventh, loading the bases with two away. Caudle, who took over in the circle for freshman Jaime Cleasby (Windham, NH/Windham) in the fifth, got CSI junior Vanessa Jioia (Staten Island, NY) to foul out to first, sending the game to extra innings.

In the top of the eighth, Caudle walked before being replaced on the basepaths by classmate Morgan Kollmeier (Kennett Square, PA/Kennett). Fellow senior Lillian Kolehmainen (Fresno, CA/Bullard) dropped down a textbook sac bunt, pushing Kollmeier to second. A walk to freshman Allie Hunt (Pittsfield, MA/Pittsfield) and a wild pitch put runners on the corners with one away.

Caswell hit a soft line drive that Staten Island freshman shortstop Patricia Riches (Staten Island, NY) snared on the dive, but Kollmeier tagged and snuck home for the go-ahead run.

The Dolphins opened the bottom of the eighth with a hit to right and a bunt single. Freshman Jamie Holmes (Staten Island, NY) then grounded to short, with Caswell getting the lead runner at third for the first out. Caudle then recorded a strikeout, before freshman Julianna Cretella (Staten Island, NY) popped out to short to end the game.

Caudle (16-5) allowed three hits over the final 4.0 innings to pick up the win. She struck out three and walked two. At the plate, she went 2 for 3 with a home run, two runs and two RBI. Caswell went 1 for 4 with a homer and three RBI. Junior Victoria Greco (Guilderland, NY/Guilderland) was 1 for 3 out of the leadoff spot, while Kolehmainen extended her hitting streak to five games, going 1 for 2. She has a hit every one of RPI's postseason contests.

Riches paced CSI, going 2 for 3 with a home run, a double, two runs and two RBI. Sophomore Antoinette Galbo (Brooklyn, NY) went 3 for 4 with two runs.