Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 Garden City, N.Y. - After a nine-day hiatus, which included three postponements due to a moody Mother Nature, the Georgian Court University softball squad returned to action Monday afternoon with a non-conference twin-bill at Adelphi University, making up a doubleheader originally scheduled for last week.

The Lions, taking on a team that advanced to the NCAA Division II Championships just a year ago, raised the Panthers' hackles at times as the home team eventually escaped with victories of 4-2 and 7-5 (6 innings) in the double-dip.

GAME ONE

 A run in the second and another pair in the home-half of the fourth provided Adelphi with a 3-0 cushion in the opening contest of the day. GCU crept to within one in the top of the sixth after a double steal brought home Kendalia Turner with the Lions' initial run, followed by a Lindsey Fischbach (2-for-3) ribbie double that plated Cassandra Varvaro, to make the score 3-2 Panthers.

AU (5-7-1) added a one-run insurance tally in the bottom of the frame, courtesy of a Fallon McCarthy (Sr.-Bayside, N.Y.) single, to solidify the home win.

Lindsay Mapes (Sr.-Centerburg, Ohio) earned the complete-game triumph in the circle for the Panthers, permitting two runs (2 ER) on four hits and a walk (7 K). Marissa Trezza (0-4) went 4.2 innings for the Lions, allowing four runs (4 ER) on seven smacks and a free pass (2 K) in the setback. 

GAME TWO

A sacrifice fly put the Panthers on the board in the first inning before Kelly Hardiman's first dinger of the season tied the contest at 1-1 in the top of the second.

After a two-run double by Brenna Martini (Jr.-Fairfield, Conn.) scooted the Panthers ahead, 5-3, after four full, the hungry Lions retaliated with a run-inducing double from Hardiman and a ribbie groundout (Stephanie Torrence) to tie the affair at 5-5 in the top of the fifth.

The stalemate would be short-lived as a Lauren Sandelier (So.-Washington Township, N.J.) long ball in the home fifth, complemented by a Martini run-scoring single through the middle in the sixth, provided Adelphi its winning margin.

No outs were registered by GCU (1-13) in the home half of the sixth before the game was called due to darkness.

Jessica Vadala (So.-Garden City Park, N.Y.) came out of the Adelphi bullpen to earn the victory, allowing four runs (3 ER) on four hits and three bases-on-balls (1 K) over 3.2 innings pitched. Nicole Camera (Jr.-Metuchen, N.J.) snapped up the save with one scoreless frame of work (1 BB).

Taylor Baloga (0-3) suffered the loss in relief for Georgian Court, yielding four runs (4 ER) on five hits and two walks (1 K) in three innings of action.

Hardiman topped the Lions' lineup with her 2-for-2 effort at the dish (2 R, 3 RBI, SF). Varvaro (2-for-4, R) and Bryana Smith (2-for-3) also enjoyed multi-hit performances for GCU.

Georgian Court now looks forward to its 2017 home-opener Tuesday afternoon as the Lions commence CACC competition at 2:30 p.m. in a doubleheader vs. Holy Family University.