Clermont, Fla.- The Georgian Court University softball team upset the #15 team in the nation Friday morning with a 9-8 decision over West Virginia Wesleyan College, headlined by a 3-for-4, six-RBI effort by freshman designated player Adriana Cortez. The Lions closed the day with a loss to the University of Mary, 9-5.

GAME ONE

The Lions jumped out to an immediate 4-0 lead in the top of the first inning vs. WVWC after a ribbie bases-on-balls by 1B Emma Erbig and huge bases-loaded, bases-clearing single off the bat of Cortez. The Bobcats responded with two runs in the bottom of the initial frame after a two-run long ball to left from SS Paige Cummings (Sr.-Acton, Calif.).

The score remained unchanged until the bottom of the fourth when WVWC inched one run closer on a fielder's choice .

GCU (2-7) exploded with another four-spot in the top of the fifth to take an 8-3 lead, highlighted by another three-run single from Cortez. The Bobcats immediately answered with four runs in the bottom half after a two-run double from C Megan Malenstyn (So.-Surrey, B.C.) and two-run homer by 1B Kaitlyn Carey (Sr.-Orlando, Fla.).

West Virginia Wesleyan (12-5) tied the affair in the sixth inning after a run-scoring double by Cummings. With the score tied at eight, Ashlynn Thompson brought in the game-winning tally with an RBI grounder to secure the upset victory.

Illiana Teran (1-1) won her first game of the season, permitting a lone hit in a 1.1-inning relief appearance. Jessica Griffin (Jr.-Cooper City, Fla.) went the distance for the Bobcats and suffered the defeat (7.0 IP, 6 H, 9 ER, 1 ER, 3 BB, 4 K).

3B Taylor McDonough (1-for-4) scored three runs for the Lions. Erbig (1-for-2) scored two of her own.

GAME TWO

The University of Mary scored two runs apiece in four of the first five innings and a lone run in the seventh as the Marauders (10-6) cruised to a 9-5 victory over Georgian Court in the nightcap.

The Lions (2-8) plated two runs in the home half of the third inning after a Meghan Sfraga two-run double made the deficit 4-2. A Cortez RBI fielder's choice and a two-run single from LF Alyssa Paradiso accounted for three more GCU tallies in the bottom of the seventh.

Erin Keen (So.-Boise, Idaho) earned the complete-game victory for Mary (7.0 IP, 8 H, 5 R, 4 ER, 6 BB, 4 K) while GCU starting pitcher Kristina Morgan (1-4) took the loss in the circle (1.0 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 0 BB, 0 K).

Sfraga went 3-for-3 at the dish while Paradiso (2-for-3) and Dara Schroeder (2-for-5) enjoyed multi-hit efforts.

Georgian Court concludes its Florida journey with Saturday contests vs. Southern Connecticut State University (9:00 a.m.) and Bentley University (1:00 p.m.).