Philadelphia, Pa.- Georgian Court University now owns its longest winning streak since the 2014 campaign as the Lions extended their current mark to six straight with a Friday road sweep at the University of the Sciences. GCU controlled both contests, 13-4 and 6-0, to improve to 15-12 (6-2 CACC), eclipsing 2017's win total of 14.
The Lions had to come from behind in the opener as the Devils (7-17, 4-6 CACC) slapped a three-spot on the visitors in the home half of the first. GCU calmly responded with six unanswered runs, including a five-run fourth frame, to go ahead 6-3 before sealing the deal with a mighty seven-run seventh (highlighted by back-to-back jacks from
Samantha Salomon and
Samantha Reilly) to coast to the 13-4 triumph.
Salomon's three-run shot in the seventh marked her second of the season while Reilly's (3-for-4) increased her season total to eight.
Malia Black put together a 3-for-4 performance at the dish while
Malaya Black (2-for-5) and
Mikaela Power (2-for-3, 2B, BB) provided two hits apiece.
Jessica O'Neil improved her record to 7-4 with 6.1 innings of superb relief work (4 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 2 K).Â
In the nightcap,Salomon kicked off the scoring with her second dinger of the day, this time a two-run missile, to put GCU ahead, 2-0, in the top of the third. Reilly responded with her own two-run pop in the fifth, equaling the junior's 2017 season total of nine, to put the Lions' comfortably ahead by five after four-and-a-half.
Malaya Black's ribbie single put Georgian Court's sixth-and-final tally on the board.
O'Neil, getting the starting assignment this time around, fired five innings of shutout softball (4 H, 1 K) to earn the junior her second win of the afternoon (8-4).
Caitlin Hughes, the reigning CACCÂ Rookie of the Week, went 2-for-3 atop the Lions' lineup, scoring two runs and swiping two bags in the game two triumph.
Georgian Court looks to carry the momentum into Saturday as the Lions take their talent to Nyack College for another CACC twin-bill. First pitch is set for 1:00 p.m.
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