Lakewood, N.J.- The Georgian Court University softball squad went 1-1 on Day One of the 2013 CACC Softball Championship Tournament Thursday afternoon at GCU as the Lions defeated #5 University of the Sciences, 5-0, in the opener before succumbing to #1 Dominican College, 8-7, in a night-cap thriller.

GAME ONE

A long ball off the bat of 1B Taylor McDonough highlighted a five-run fifth inning as the Lions blanked the Devils (23-18) in the opening contest. Kristina Morgan and Courtney Spina (Sr.-Thornton, Pa.) of USciences traded zeroes in the line score before GCU's bats awoke with five runs on five hits in the golden inning.

Adriana Cortez led off the frame wth a base hit to right center and was promptly lefted for pinch-runner Morgan. LF Alyssa Paradiso ripped a one-out double to right-center, advancing Morgan to third. After a ground out, 2B Justine Mattia was hit by a pitch to load the bags. SS Briana Molino promptly singled through the middle to drive in GCU's initial two runs, which set up McDonough's majestic blast.

Morgan went the distance in the circle, scattering eight hits and striking out one in the complete game triumph (13-8). Spina (9-10) was saddled with the defeat for USciences.


GAME TWO

After falling behind to Dominican College, 5-0, after the first two innings in Game Two, The Lions' bats lay dormant  until the top of the sixth when Georgian Court exploded for six runs on eight hits, mounting a miraculous comeback, to take a 6-5, headlined by RBI knocks from McDonough (2B, RBI), C Meghan Sfraga (1B, RBI), 3B Ashlynn Thompson (1B, RBI), Cortez (1B, 2 RBI), and Paradiso (1B, RBI).

The Lady Chargers (32-18), who opened the day with a victory over #8-seed Philadelphia University, regained the advantage in the bottom of the frame on a two-run dinger off the bat of LF Julie Plante (Sr.-Swansea, Mass,). GCU rallied to tie the affair at 7-7 in the top of the seventh, courtesy of a Thompson hit-by-pitch with the bases loaded.

The clock struck midnight on the Lions' comeback in the home half of the seventh when an Elizabeth Hogan (Fr.-San Jose, Calif.) sacrifice fly secured the 8-6 triumph for Dominican.

Delaney Childers (Sr.-Johnstown, Ohio) earned the victory out of the Dominican bullpen (1.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 0 ER) while Illiana Teran fell to 5-7 on the year with 4.0 innings of relief work (4.0 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB).

GCU (28-25) will now take on #7 Bloomfield College Friday morning at 11:00 a.m. in an elimination game.