Courtesy Caldwell University Athletics Communications

RINDGE, N.H (May 16, 2026) -- All season long, Caldwell University softball lived by the walk-off win. On numerous occasions, Caldwell pulled out victories in its last at bat on the way to a regular season CACC Championship and NCAA East 1 Regional berth.

Today, in the NCAA East 1 Regional Elimination game, the tables turned.

Freshman RF Kendall Mazur (Millville, N.J.) had five RBI, including a go-ahead two-run single in the top of the seventh, but the Cougars' outstanding 2026 season came to an end with a heartbreaking, 8-7, walk-off defeat at the hands of host and No. 1 seed Franklin Pierce at Melissa Bisaccia Field on Saturday.

Trailing, 5-0, entering the sixth, Caldwell got closer on Mazur's two-out, bases-clearing three run double for a 5-3 deficit heading into its last at bat.

With two outs and no one on, the Cougars got off the mat, stringing together six straight baserunners, including an RBI single by sophomore SS Maddie Matkosky (Horseheads, N.Y.) to pull within a run at 5-4. Mazur then came up with another clutch hit, driving in two to put CU ahead. An infield error by the Ravens made it 7-5 in favor of CU going into FPU's last at bat.

But a one-out, three-run home run by Maisie Lerette lifted FPU (41-11) to the win in startling fashion.

Junior CF Kenzie Nazionale (Ontario, Calif.) had two hits in the game.

Caldwell finishes the year at 29-21 in Head Coach Lindsay Mayer's third year at the helm.