LAKEWOOD, NJ- Forget the prediction of an extended winter by the famous forecaster Punxsutawney Phil. The Georgian Court University softball squad received a blessing from Mother Nature and commenced its 2012 campaign Thursday afternoon as the Lions hosted a season-opening double-dip vs. #18 Bloomsburg University at the GCU Softball Complex.

The visiting Huskies, also playing its first contests of the year, swept the home club with a 3-0 triumph in Game One followed by a 10-1, five-inning effort in the nightcap.

Bloomsburg (2-0) got to GCU starting pitcher, Brooke Hull, quickly in the first inning of the opener as the Huskies tallied three runs on five hits, headlined by a two-run double down the left field line from SS Chrissy Belko (So.-Old Forge, PA) and an infield ribbie single off the bat of DP Kayla McHale (Fr.-Dillsburg, PA).

The electric bill would remain at an affordable rate for the remainder of the first game with neither club lighting up their respective scoring columns the rest of the way. Hull (0-1) discarded the winter cobwebs and opening day jitters as the senior hurler scattered only five Bloomsburg hits the rest of the way and walked one in the complete-game performance. The Nazareth, PA native also garnered two strikeouts in her debut.

Cait Paine (Jr.-Lebanon, PA) dominated the Georgian Court lineup as the southpaw dismissed 12 Lions via the strikeout, including striking out the side in both the third and fourth frames. Paine yielded just four hits and a walk in seven innings pitched.

GCU CF Dara Schroeder (2-for-3) registered her first two collegiate hits and a stolen base out of the lead-off spot for the Lions. RF Selina Santillo slugged Georgian Court's only extra-base hit of the game, a fifth-inning two-bagger to left-center.

Three Huskies posted multi-hit performances, including 2B Mandi Baer (So.-Douglassville, PA) (2-for-3, R); Belko (2-for-4, 2 RBI); and 3B Rachel Fredell (So.-Dingmans Ferry, PA) (2-for-4, 2B, R).

After a scoreless first inning, Bloomsburg quickly put Game Two out of reach for the home team by plating six runs in the second inning and making quick work of GCU starting pitcher Illiana Teran (1.1 IP, 6 H, 6 R, 6 ER) in the process. C Sam Pientack (Sr.-Archbald, PA) ended Teran's afternoon with a two-run homer to left.  CF Raychelle Kuhns (Jr.- Williamsport, PA), LF Hannah Moir (So.-Mt. Laurel, PA), 2B Mandi Baer (So.-Douglassville, PA) and SS Erika Yanora (Fr.-Tunkhannock, PA) also contributed ribbies in the frame for the Huskies.

The vistors plated two more tallies in the third and a lone run in both the fourth and fifth frames to cement the win. Baer (2-for-3, R) laced two doubles and three RBI on the afternoon atop the Bloomsburg order. Pientack presented a 2-for-4 performance at the dish which also included a double and two runs scored. Moir enjoyed a multi-hit effort with two runs scored.

Paine (2-0), much to Georgian Court's chagrin, also started Game Two in the circle for the Huskies as she cruised to her second victory of the afternoon, permitting three hits and a walk in 4.0 IP. She also struck out two giving her 14 total K's in 11.0 innings on the afternoon.

Georgian Court finally got to Paine for its first run of the season in the fourth inning on an RBI single from 2B Rachel Ruch, plating Schroeder who led off the frame with an infield single, her third knock of the afternoon.


With two games under their belts, the Lions travel to Clermont, Florida on Saturday to participate in the 2012 National Training Center Games. GCU makes its Sunshine State debut on Sunday with contests vs. Southern New Hampshire University (9 AM) and Urbana University (11 AM).