Lakewood, N.J. - Day one of the 2019 Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference Softball Championship Tournament could not be off to a better start for #1 seed Georgian Court University as the Lions cruised to a pair of opening day victories Thursday on GCU's SEI Investments Field.

Playing on its home turf, the Lions opened the event with a 7-2 triumph over #8 Jefferson before pounding #5 Post University, 10-0 (6 inn.), in the nightcap.

GAME ONE

A pair of three-run frames set the tone in the initial game of the day as Georgian Court rapped 11 hits in the Game One win. A screaming RBI double to the the left-center gap from Paige Eckert, followed by a two-run single through the middle by Malia Black, accounted for the Lions' three runs in the home half of the second.

Samantha Salomon's bases-loaded single to right-center cleared the bags for GCU's three-spot in the sixth while Samantha Reilly closed out a 13-pitch at-bat by crushing a solo smash for the Lions' lone tally in the third. Reilly's home run marked the 50th-career clout of the senior's sensational career sporting the royal and gold.

Mikayla Gilgert made the start in the circle for GCU, but was lifted with two outs in the third (2.2 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 1 K) after walking in a pair of Jefferson runs. Jessica O'Neil came out of the Georgian Court bullpen and fired 4.1 innings of shutout softball (4.1 IP, 3 H, 2 K) to earn the victory and improve to a near-perfect 17-1 overall.

Local product, Stephanie Pepper (Sr.-Toms River, N.J.), suffered the loss for the Rams (4.0 IP, 7 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 3 K).

GAME TWO

Gilgert took full advantage of her second opportunity in the nightcap as the freshman fired a complete-game, one-hit shutout (6.0 IP, 1 H, 4 K) to push aside Post University in the six-inning dismissal. An All-CACC Second Team selection, Gilgert now ties here teammate (O'Neil) with victory #17 (17-5).

GCU opened the scoring with three runs in the its first at-bat, thanks to ribbie singles from Marissa Trezza, Eryka Springer and the aforementioned Black. A Reilly sac fly to center brought in Caitlin Hughes to make the score 4-0 Lions after two full.

Post allowed two more across as a result of a passed ball and a wild pitch in the home half of the fifth to make it 6-0 GCU. With Kendalia Turner (single), Hughes (walk) and Salomon (single) populating the pillows in the bottom of the sixth, Reilly sent a walk-off grand slam over the fence in left-center to seal the team's 44th win of the year (44-7).

Reilly, a First-Team All-CACC selection in 2019, finished Game Two with five runs-batted-in (six total on the day). Springer secured a 3-for-3 performance for the victors.

The Lions now prepare to take on #2 Wilmington Friday at 1:00 p.m. on SEI Investments Field. The 36-12 Wildcats, winners of eight straight, defeated #7 Nyack College, 8-0 (6-inn.) and #3 Caldwell, 9-2, in Thursday action.