Lakewood, N.J. - #18 Georgian Court University extended its lengthy winning streak to 17 straight Saturday afternoon as the Lions bested Bloomfield College, 7-3 and 2-1, on GCU's SEI Investments Field in Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference softball competition.

GAME ONE
 
After two scoreless frames to commence the opener, the host-Lions plated runs in each of the remaining four innings, including a four-spot in the fourth, to hold off the Bears for the 7-3 win.

CF Caitlin Hughes led off the third with a triple down the right-field line, and scored on a subsequent wild pitch, to put the Lions on the board. The three-bagger marked the 13th such hit in the sophomore's short collegiate career, pushing her past Alyssa Paradiso ('15) atop the team list.

The Lions used the long ball to account for its four runs in the next stanza, starting with a three-run shot off the bat of Malaya Black (3rd of season). One batter later, Hughes returned to the highlight reel with a majestic solo shot to right-center (3rd of season) to make the score 5-0 GCU.

A run-scoring single (5th inn.) from Eryka Springer and a laser beam ribbie double to left (6th inn.) courtesy of Samantha Reilly brought around Georgian Court's remaining digits.

SS Mariah Wysocki rapped a solo home run leading off the top of the sixth for the Bears (10-21), snapping the Lions' shutout bid in the process. 

Jessica O'Neil limited Bloomfield to just one run (1 ER) on two hits and a walk (3 K) over six full to improve the senior's record to a near-perfect 14-1 on the year. The victory ties Wilmington University's Caitlyn Whiteside (14-8) for the CACC lead.

Taylor Galyean (Fr.-Cottonwood, Calif.) falls to 9-8 for Bloomfield with the setback (6.0, 8 H, 7 R, 6 ER, 2 BB, 3 K).

GAME TWO

In what would mark the Lions' lowest-scoring game since March 9 vs. then-#17 University of Indianapolis (L, 1-2), Georgian Court scratched out a 1-0 lead in third. Hughes beat out a one-out infield single, promptly swiped second base, and came around to score on a Kendalia Turner knock to left-center.

The score would climb to 2-0 in the bottom of the fifth. Malia Black led off with a four-pitch walk and stole second before coming home on Hughes' second triple of the day, and team-best 14th of her career.

An infield single from 3B Alexis Freudenberg (Jr.-Islip, N.Y.) plated SS Delanie Cruz (Jr.-Chicago, Ill.) in the top of the sixth for the Bears' lone tally. Despite the final score (2-1), Bloomfield out-hit the victors by a 5-4 margin.

Mikayla Gilgert rolled to her 13th win of the season (13-3) in the GCU circle as the freshman scattered five hits and a walk (1 R, 1 ER) in the complete-game effort (6 K). Maddie Feddersen (So.-Islip, N.Y.) dropped to 1-10 on the year for the Bears (4.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, BB, 5 K).

Georgian Court returns to action Sunday with a non-conference home twin-bill vs. Mercy College. First pitch is slated for 12:00 p.m.