Lakewood, N.J.- The Georgian Court University softball team, a day after taking a pair from the University of the Sciences, repeated the feat Wednesday afternoon with a home doubleheader sweep vs. Kutztown University, 4-3 and 6-4. The victories extend Georgian Court's winning streak to five.
The Golden Bears (11-15) trailed by one heading into the seventh inning in game one, but
Jackie Hetzler (Turnersville, NJ/Washington Twp.) hit a solo home run to center field to tie the game. However, Georgian Court's (15-17)
Meghan Sfraga hit a walk-off single to give GCU the game one victory.
Kutztown took an early 1-0 lead in the first inning, and a 2-0 lead in the second off a Hetzler RBI single.
The game remained scoreless until the fifth inning when Georgian Court tied the game with two runs with two outs. Kutztown retired the first two batters of the inning, but an infield bunt single followed by an infield error gave
Justine Mattia the chance to knock in a two-run double to tie the game.
Sfraga led off the sixth with a double for Georgian Court and scored the go-ahead run off a groundout leading to the seventh inning. Following Hetzler's solo shot, Georgian Court opened the seventh with a walk and then sacrificed the runner over. A single put runners on the corners, and a walk-off single by Sfraga closed the book on the opener.
Dominique Ficara (Swedesboro, NJ/Kingsway/Hofstra) pitched game one for Kutztown and struck out three batters as two of the four runs allowed were unearned.
Senna Francesconi (1-1) earned her first collegiate victory in the complete-game effort (7.0 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 6 K).
Georgian Court jumped out to a 6-0 lead through the first three innings of the nightcap, courtesy of RBI knocks from Sfraga and Mattia in the first and second innings and RBI's from Francesconi,
Dara Schroeder and
Briana Molino in a four-run fourth frame.
Kutztown scored all four of its runs in the sixth inning.
Colleen Smith (Islip Terrace, NY/East Islip/Hofstra ) led off the inning with a home run to right field,
Katie Lynch (Willow Street, PA/Lampeter-Strasburg) singled and scored on a two-run homer by
Brianna Knipe (Bethlehem, PA/Liberty), and Hetzler hit an RBI double to center field to score
Jessica Kurtz (Pottstown, PA/Pottsgrove) in the inning.
Smith and Lynch each reached base in the seventh to bring the go-ahead run to the plate with one out, but a popup and groundout ended the day for Kutztown.
Ficara and
Krista Schauder (Gilbertsville, PA/Boyertown) each pitched three innings in the nightcap with Ficara pitching the opening three. Schauder allowed just two hits in the final three innings for Kutztown.
Deanna Daluise evened her record at 6-6, allowing four runs on four hits and four walks over 5.2 innings of work. The Manalapan, N.J. native also struck out five in the effort. Kristina Morgan came out of the bullpen to nail down the victory for the Lions, and earn her first save, with 1.1 innings of shutout ball (1 H, 1 BB).
Schroeder finished the twin-bill going 5-for-7 at the plate with four runs scored.
The Lions are off Thursday before traveling to Philadelphia University for a CACC doubleheader Friday afternoon at 2:30 p.m.