LAKEWOOD, NJ-Two three-run home runs and eight RBI from C Kelsey Cutler, along with five RBI from SS Selina Santillo, a 6-for-6, five run showing for Rachel Ruch and a pitching gem from Diana Sansevera in game one, solidified a day as glorious as the 80-degree weather as the Lions cruised to its first doubleheader sweep since March 25th vs. LeMoyne College with an 8-0 (6 inn.) and 13-5 (5 inn.) slaying of the Warriors of Nyack College Monday afternoon at GCU Field.
GAME ONE
Cutler and the Lions (14-18, 6-4 CACC) broke a scoreless tie in the bottom of the third inning with a two-out, three -run homer to center off Nyack starter Kia Jelley (Fr.-Deerfield, MA). The long ball, Cutler's team-leading fifth of the season, brought in 3B Sammie Jo Garofalo (bases-on-balls) and 2B Rachel Ruch (single to center).
Georgian Court added another three-spot in the home half of the fifth frame, courtesy of a sacrifice fly to center from Cutler, an RBI single to right by DP Brooke Hull and a ribbie double to right field off the bat of 1B Courtney Cuevas.
The game came to an abrupt end for the Nyack in the bottom of the sixth when Sammie Jo Garofalo, who reached on a fielder's choice, scored on a Cutler fielder's choice. Hull ended the contest with a single to left, scoring Ruch, who reached on a walk earlier in the frame.
Sansevera (4-4) dominated in the circle for GCU, scattering four runs and a walk while striking out 11 in the Lions' second shutout of the season.
Jelley suffered the defeat for the Warriors (5.0 IP, 8 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 3 BB K)
GAME TWO
The Lions immediately picked up where they left off and put Nyack and Jelley in a jam in the top of the first inning of game two with a five-hit, three-run outburst capped by Cutler's second three-run long ball of the afternoon.
Nyack (5-24, 3-9 CACC) answered with three unearned tallies of its own in top of the second off GCU starter Shannon Dukes provided by a sac fly from C Tesla Murillo (Fr.-Indio, CA) and a two-run double by OF Vicky Leonard (Sr.-Newington, CT).
GCU jumped right back out to a 7-6 advantage in the bottom of the second with four runs. Garofalo (triple), Ruch (single), and Santillo (single, 2 RBI) provided the go-ahead hits.
A three-run bomb from Santillo in the bottom of the fourth made the score 10-4. GCU plated two more runs on two Nyack errors in the fifth before LF Melissa DePalma put an end to the game with a walk-off double to right.
Shannon Dukes, after starting the year 0-5, improved to 6-5 with the victory (5.0 IP, 7 H, 5 R, 2 ER, 1BB, 4 K).
The Lions smeared another loss on Jelley in the nightcap, as she yielded seven runs (7 ER) on 10 hits and a walk in just an inning and two-thirds.
Cutler went 2-for-7 with three runs to go along with her eight RBI. Santillo went 4-for-6 while Ruch lit up Nyack pitching with a 6-6 performance with five runs and a RBI. DePalma tallied three hits in game two.
Georgian Court will play its third twin-bill in three days when they travel to Wilmington University Tuesday afternoon.
