Lakewood, N.J.- After extinguishing a five-game slide on Saturday, the Georgian Court University softball team now owns a three-game winning streak after the Lions swept visiting Goldey-Beacom College,  9-3 and 8-5, Monday afternoon in Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference action.

With the victories, GCU improves to 22-17 (16-6 CACC) while the Lightning fall to 8-29 (5-19 CACC). The Lions currently sit in third place in the CACC standings behind second-place Post University and conference-leading Caldwell College.

GAME ONE

The Lions fired the first shot of the opening contest, plating two runs in the initial frame. 3B Taylor McDonough drove in RF Alyssa Paradiso (single) with an RBI single to put GCU up 1-0. The second tally came in when McDonough was caught stealing. SS Briana Molino, who reach via base hit, scored from third base on the throw that erased her teammate at second base.

A ribbie double down the left field line off the bat of 1B Emma Erbig brought home CF Dara Schroeder after she reached on a bunt base hit, stole second, and advanced to third on a ground out.

Goldey-Beacom CF Charlee King (Fr.-New Castle, Del.) cut the Lions' lead to 3-2 in the top of the fourth with a two-run double to left-center, bringing in two unearned runs. Georgian Court produced five errors in the contest.

GCU earned those runs back in the home half of the fifth after another run-scoring single from McDonough and a successful squeeze bunt by C Meghan Sfraga. The Lions broke it open with four tallies in the sixth, highlighted by a two-run long ball from 2B Justine Mattia. The dinger was the senior's fourth of the year.

Tina Morgan evened her record at 4-4 with the win, permitting three runs (1 ER) on five hits (7 K) in the sparkling complete-game effort. Courtney Dolson (Sr.-Gloucester, N.J.) dropped to 6-14 for the Lightning, allowing nine runs (6 ER) on 11 hits and a walk (1 K) in six innings of work.

Five Lions contributed two hits apiece, including: Schroeder (2-for-3, 2 R); Paradiso (2-for-3, 2 R); Molino (2-for-4, 3 R); McDonough (2-for-3); and Mattia (2-for-4). Erbig (1-for-3) two runs batted in.

GAME TWO

GCU again drew first blood in the nightcap with a three-spot in the bottom of the second inning. McDonough led off the frame with a solo shot, her eighth of the season, while DP Kelly Hardiman blasted a two-run shot to left field, the freshman's first collegiate dinger. An Erbig RBI single to left field in the third made the score 4-zip Lions.

The Lightning cut the deficit in half with a lone run in both the fourth and fifth innings. Molino's fifth homer of the year gave GCU a 5-2 advantage in the bottom of the fifth inning before plating three more in the sixth, courtesy of RBI from Schroeder (groundout), Paradiso (single) and Molino (single).

Goldey-Beacom made things interesting in the top of the seventh a three-run home run to center from starting pitcher Roni Peters (Sr.-Leonardtown, Md.) made it 8-5 and knocked GCU hurler Deanna Daluise from the contest. Abby Merryman came on to get the final two outs of the affair and earn her team-leading second save.

Daluise improved to 10-7 after allowing five runs (4 ER) on 11 hits and a walk (2 K) in 6.1 innings. Peters tumbled to 2-10 in the circle, permitting eight runs (5 ER) on nine hits and two walks (1 K) in six frames.

Molino starred at the plate with a 3-for-4 showing (2 R, 2 RBI). Erbig (2-for-3) also collected a pair of knocks.

The Lions return to action in a key non-conference regional twin-bill vs. visiting Le Moyne College. Georgian Court will honor its senior class at 11:30 a.m. with first pitch slated at noon.