LAKEWOOD, NJ- The Georgian Court University softball squad split a Wednesday doubleheader with #21 Southern Connecticut State University, while snapping its seven-game losing streak, as the Lions won the appropriately-named "nightcap", 6-5, with the contest ending in six innings due to darkness. The Owls toppled host-GCU, 12-0, in the opener.

GAME ONE

The Lions and Owls played four scoreless innings in the opener before SCSU exploded for three runs in the 5th, four in the 6th, and five more in the 7th to easily cruise to their 14th victory (14-2) of the campaign.

SCSU scattered 16 hits, lead by a 4-for-5 effort from INF Kristin Whitley (Jr.-North Andover, MA), which included two runs scored and three RBI. CF Brittany Bucko (Jr.-Wallington, NJ) (2-for-4, 3 R, 3 RBI) and INF Alyssa Downs (Jr.-Seymour, CT) (2-for-5, R, 4 RBI) each clubbed long balls for the visitors.

LF Alyssa Pagano (Sr.-Monroe, CT) and RF Shawna Mallory (Sr.-Simi Valley, CA) collected three hits apiece at the dish for the Owls.  

The Lions, winless up to this point since going 10-4 during its journey to Florida two weeks ago, received a 3-for-3 effort from CF Dara Schroeder atop the Georgian Court lineup. The fleet-footed freshman also swiped her team-leading 15th stolen base in the ballgame.

SCSU's Kelsey Cockrill (Fr.-Haymarket, VA) went the distance to improve to 6-1 in the circle, scattering four hits and four walks to go along with seven strikeouts.

Brooke Hull (6-7) went five-and-a-third innings in the opener, yielding seven runs (5 ER) on 11 hits and four walks. The GCU ace also struck out four in the outing.

GAME TWO

The Lions' bats finally awoke in Game Two as they plated three runs on five hits in the first inning, chasing SCSU starting pitcher, Christina Boehn (So.-Stamford, CT) after only two-thirds of an inning. GCU would own a commanding 6-2 advantage after three frames when they tacked on a three-spot in the bottom of the third inning highlighted by a two-run homer from 3B Kelsey Cutler, her first of the year.

The Owls closed the deficit to 6-5 with two tallies in the 4th and one more in 6th and that is when things got very interesting. With darkness quickly enveloping the GCU softball complex, SCSU appeared to come all the way back in the top of the seventh frame as Jessica Rosa (Sr.-Wallingford, CT), who entered the contest in the 5th inning as pinch-hitter, blasted a long two-run home run to left field, assumingly giving the Owls a 7-6 lead.

However, immediately at the conclusion of the visiting half of the inning, the umpiring crew deemed the field to be too dark and called the game to an end. In this situation, the action reverted back to the last completed inning of play (6th inning), giving the Lions the unexpected 6-5 triumph.

#Cynthia Rivera# in her collegiate pitching debut, started and earned the victory (1-0) in the circle for the Lions, allowing two runs on four hits and three walks in 2.2 innings of action.  Hull picked up her first save of the season (3.1 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, K).


Boen took the loss for he Owls and fell to 1-1 on the year.

Cutler shined at the plate for GCU, going 3-for-4 with a run and three RBI. Hull (2-for-4, 2 R) and RF Selina Santillo (2-for-3, R, RBI) each enjoyed multi-hit games.

Whitley (3-for-4, 2 RBI) and C Kristie Vituli (Fr.-Bronx, NY) (2-for-2) contributed multi-hit efforts for the Owls. Downs crunched her second home run of the afternoon, a two-run shot, in the third inning.

Things do not get any easier for the Lions as they travel to Kutztown University Friday afternooon to take on the #8 Golden Bears in a non-conference doubleheader. GCU defeated Kutztown, 3-2, on March 9th in Clermont, FL.