LAKEWOOD, NJ- The Georgian Court University softball team extended its season-high winning streak to 11 with an 8-4, Game One victory before dropping the nightcap, 11-2, in a key non-conference doubleheader vs. Adelphi University Thursday afternoon.

GCU ends the day with a record of 28-16 while the Panthers, ranked #6 in the latest NCAA Division II East Region rankings, moves to 24-15-1.

GAME ONE

A five-run fifth inning, headlined by a grand slam from RF Selina Santillo proved to be the difference in the Lions' opening game, 8-4 win.

GCU jumped out to 1-0 lead in the first inning on an RBI single from reigning NFCA/Louisville Slugger Player of the Week Rachel Ruch and grew the advantage to 3-0 in the third on a two-run dinger to left courtesy of P Brooke Hull, her fifth of the season.

Adelphi got on the board with a run in the top of the fifth frame when 3B Victoria Wink brought in 2B Heather Salerno with a single to left. The Lions essentially put the game out of reach in the bottom half of the frame with Santillo's slam, the senior's second home run of the year. 3B Kelsey Cutler also brought in a run the painful way with an RBI hit-by-pitch.

The grand slam marked the Lions' third such long ball of the week, following Jen Tartaglia (Monday vs. Nyack) and Ruch on Wednesday (vs. Philadelphia).

Hull improved her pitching record to a CACC-leading 23-9 as she permitted four runs (3 ER) on eight hits and four walks over seven innings. She also struck out a batter.

Devon Kelly dropped to 11-7 for the Panthers, permitting three runs on five hits over three innings of work.

Santillo paced the GCU offense with a perfect 3-for-3 performance, which also included a double. Ruch went 2-for-3 with two runs scored.

GAME TWO

The nightcap was all Adelphi as the Panthers mounted an 11-0 lead on nine hits heading into the bottom of the sixth.

GCU catcher Christina Masitti wouldn't go down without a fight in the final frame as the senior crunched her first home run as a Lion, a solo blast down the left field line. Ruch would later provide her second RBI single of the afternoon, but that is where the Georgian Court comeback would end.

Katie Andrews (6-2) controlled the GCU bats, permitting two runs on six hits, while striking out two. Illiana Teran (4-7) endured the loss for the Lions, allowing 11 runs (4 ER) on eight hits and two walks over 4.1 IP. The Georgian Court defense committed four errors in the contest.

Santillo went 2-for-2 to finish the day an overall 5-for-5 and raise her batting average to .323 on the year.

The Lions return to action with a crucial CACC doubleheader Sunday vs. Caldwell College with first pitch scheduled for noon. The Cougars are #5 in the latest regional poll.