Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 Lakewood, N.J.- The Georgian Court University softball squad exploded for a combined 22 runs on 22 hits Saturday afternoon as the Lions numbed Nyack College with a pair of five-inning victories to improve to 7-7 (8-20 overall) in Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference action.

The Lions stunned the visiting Warriors in the opener with a 10-4, come-from-behind victory before one-hitting and dismissing its guest, 8-0, in the nightcap.

GAME ONE 

The opening act presented an ominous beginning for the Lions as Nyack's Nicole Wisser (Fr.-Egg Harbor Township, N.J.) smoked a two-run dinger to right-center, providing the Warriors with an immediate 2-0 lead. GCU countered in the home half of the third when Samantha Salomon drew the Lions even with a two-run single to right.

Not to be outdone, Nyack knocked around Georgian Court for four runs on four hits in the fourth, highlighted by a two-run long ball from Katalina Padilla (Jr.-Las Cruces, N.M.) and followed with an RBI double from Katie Lupinacci (So.-Bordentown, N.J.) and run-inducing single by Stephanie White (So.-Hamilton, N.J.).

Now behind by a 6-2 deficit, the Lions sank their teeth into the Warriors' as GCU proceeded to plate eight runs in the bottom of the fourth, which included three-run goners off the bats of both Noel Arellano and Samantha Reilly, and another two-run single from Salomon sandwiched in-between, to make it 10-6 Lions.

Georgian Court poured on four more runs in the fifth, which included Marissa Trezza's first collegiate long ball (solo), to earn the abruptly-ended victory.

Jessica O'Neil improved to 4-9 on the year in her ninth complete-game of the season for the Lions (5.0 IP, 9 H, 6 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 2 K) while Nyack's Brittany Blair (So.-Yonkers, N.Y.) sported the loss (3.2 IP, 8 H, 10 R, 3 ER, 1 K).

Salomon (3-for-4) collected a career-best six RBI in the onslaught. Kendalia Turner (2-for-3) scored three runs while also driving in one with the bat.

GAME TWO

It was all Lions in the nightcap as GCU plated eight runs on 10 hits in cinching up the club's eighth win of the season, eclipsing last year's seven-victory campaign in the process.

Kelly Hardiman (1-for-2) roped a two-run homer to center in the third inning while Arellano (2-for-3, 3 R) deposited the first pitch of the fifth inning over the wall in left-center to send everyone home early and secure the freshman's fourth home run (second of the day) in the process. 

Reilly (2-for-3) provided a two-run double in the fourth while an RBI fielder's choice by Salomon (4th inning) gave the GCU shortstop seven overall ribbies on the afternoon.

Trezza moved to 2-5 in the circle for the Lions as she yielded one hit and four walks over 4.1 innings of work. 

Georgian Court next plays Sunday at 1:00 p.m. with a trip to East Stroudsburg University.