Lakewood, N.J. - For the first time in 12 years, Georgian Court University softball is the champion of the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference as the top-seed Lions blanked #7 Bloomfield College, 4-0, to secure the 2021 banner. Ranked #22 in the nation, GCU has punched its ticket to the NCAA Division II East Regionals, which will commence next week in Manchester, N.H. (hosted by Saint Anselm College).

A pitcher's duel for most of the contest, Georgian Court snapped the scoreless stalemate in the bottom of the fourth when Taylor Barraza's single through the middle brought around Alyssa Herrera from second after the freshman singled to left-center and stole a base. The Lions followed that frame with three more tallies, courtesy of three hits and a pair of Bloomfield miscues, to take the insurmountable four-run cushion.

Adriana Mungo smacked a two-run single up the middle, and Herrera lofted a sacrifice fly to center, to highlight the Lions' offensive outburst in the fifth.

Mikayla Gilgert (18-2), for the second-straight game, came out of the bullpen for the royal-and-gold as the tournament MVP fired five innings of two-hit softball (1 BB, 6 K) to earn the win. Samantha Fohrman recorded the no-decision, going two frames in the start (1 H, 2 BB, 2 K). 

The Lions' dynamic pitching duo permitted zero runs and just five hits (22 K) over their three postseason games (18 total innings). Gilgert and Fohrman, along with Malia Black, Barraza, Herrera, and Mungo earned selection to the All-Tournament Team.

The entire field for next week's NCAA Division II Regionals will be announced Sunday at 10:00 p.m. at ncaa.com!