WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. – Senior captain Stephanie Caudle threw an eight-inning complete game shutout and drove in the eventual winning run to lead the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) softball team to a 5-0 victory over Thomas College (ME) in an NCAA Regional elimination game on Saturday morning at Cole Field. With the win, the Engineers improve to 26-13 and advance to take on The College of Staten Island. The Terriers end their season at 14-23.

Caudle (Gainesville, FL/Gainesville) allowed just three hits over 8.0 innings in picking up her 15th victory on the season. She struck out five and walked one. Thomas starter Sydney LeBourveau (Jericho, VT) surrendered five unearned runs on five hits over 8.0 innings.

Both teams were held hitless until Rensselaer junior Devan Puhl (Frederick, MD/Linganore) looped a single down the left field line to lead off the top of the fourth. She then stole second, but was left stranded.

Thomas senior Courtney Veilleux (Oakland, ME) got aboard on a bunt hit to lead off the bottom of the fourth, but a pair of pop-ups and a ground out ended the inning.

The Terriers' best chance to score came in the bottom of the seventh, when LeBourveau doubled off the fence in center. A sac bunt was followed by a failed squeeze play and the Engineers were able to escape after Caudle induced a pop-up to short.

Rensselaer broke onto the board in the top of the eighth on an RBI-single to right center by Caudle, bringing freshman Veronica DeStefano (Emerson, NJ/Emerson) around from second. A wild pitch allowed Puhl to scamper home for a 2-0 lead. Senior Courtney McArthur (Coventry, RI/St. Mary Academy) added some insurance with a three-run homer to left, making it 5-0.

Puhl finished 1 for 3 with a walk and a run. Freshman Allie (Pittsford, MA/Pittsford) picked up a pinch hit in going 1 for 1, while senior Lillian Kolehmainen (Fresno, CA/Bullard) wound up 1 for 2 with a walk and a run.