Manchester, N.H. -  Georgian Court University, for the second time in program history, came within one win of its first-ever appearance in the NCAA Division II Softball Championship as the top-seeded Lions dropped a 4-0 decision to #2 seed Saint Anselm College in Saturday's East Regional Tournament finale.

GCU (38-6) opened the afternoon with a 3-1 victory over the aforementioned Hawks, forcing the final game. Saint Anselm (32-5) now moves on to represent the East Region in next week's Championship as the Hawks claim the #2 seed and will take on #7-seed West Chester University of the PSAC in the opening round in Denver, Colo.

A booming two-run double to center off the bat of All-American candidate, Adriana Mungo (2-for-3), in the top of the fifth provided Georgian Court a 2-1 advantage in the opener as the Lions went on to stick Saint Anselm ace, Morgan Perry (19-1) her first taste of defeat all season.

GCU's Mikayla Gilgert improved to an astounding 21-3 on the season as the junior dominated the Hawks' lineup in the complete-game effort (7.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 1 K).

Paige Eckert, Caitlin Hughes, and Kaitlyn Stufft  also joined Mungo with multi-hit efforts in the Lions' triumph.

A three-run third frame provided Saint Anselm all of the offensive output it would need as hurler, McKenna Smith (8-2), would do the rest with a five-hit, complete game shutout for the victors (3 BB, 7 K).

The Lions, the #22 team in the nation, last came within a win of the Championship back in 2009, falling to Le Moyne College in the Super Regionals (2-games-to-1).