Lakewood, N.J. -
Samantha Fohrman struck out a career-high 15 in a dominant game one performance, and
Elisa Lopez blasted a pair of long balls on the day, as Georgian Court University enjoyed a Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) softball sweep of University of the Sciences Tuesday, extending the Lions' winning to nine straight.
GCU (9-1, 4-0 CACC) dropped the Devils by a 3-1 score in the opener before edging USciences, 5-4, in the nightcap. The Lions have not dropped a decision since falling at St. Thomas Aquinas, 3-2, back on opening day (Mar. 9).
Fohrman was absolutely brilliant in game one, scattering four hits and a walk in the complete-game triumph. The sophomore slinger yielded a lone unearned tally in the effort, improving to a perfect 4-0 on the year (0.76 ERA). The 15 strikeouts, 14 of which were of the swinging variety, marks a personal lifetime-best for Fohrman, regardless of level.
Lopez (2-for-3) opened up the scoring in the bottom of the first as the senior catcher crunched her second homer of the season, a two-run shot to left field. Georgian Court added an insurance run in the home half of the fourth when
Carleigh Luzzo (3-for-3) rapped a single down the left field line, bringing in pinch-runner,
Emily Lynch, from third base.
It would be Lopez (2-for-3, 2B, 2 RBI) leading the way again in the nightcap,as the native from North Bergen, N.J. clobbered a second-inning solo shot to right, putting the home team ahead, 1-0. The Devils dismissed the one-run deficit in the top of the fifth frame when LF
Miranda Rodriguez (Jr.-Pittsgrove, N.J.) dropped a two-run double in deep center.
The 2-1 USciences lead would be short-lived as the royal-and-blue batted around in the home half of the frame, plating four runs on five hits and Devils' miscue, to take a 5-2 advantage.
Jayda Jones (2-for-4) highlighted the outburst as the freshman clubbed her first collegiate home run, a majestic two-run shot that cascaded through the trees beyond the left-field wall.
The Devils (0-6, 0-6 CACC) battled to the end, bringing in a pair of runs in the sixth, but could not get any closer than the final one-run differential.
Mikayla Gilgert (5-1) got the win permitting three runs (3 ER) on five hits (6 K) over five full. Fohrman, after throwing only 87 pitches in the opener, came out of the GCU bullpen for the final two frames (2 H, R, ER, 3 K) to collect her first save of '21.
Alyssa Herrera (3-for-4, 2B) and Luzzo (2-for-3) also enjoyed multi-hit efforts in the win.
The Lions now hit the road for a CACC twin-bill this Thursday with a 2:30 p.m. doubleheader scheduled at Chestnut Hill College
