Winter Haven, Fla. - Riding the high of Saturday's 3-0 shutout victory over the University of Bridgeport, highlighted by
Mikayla Gilgert's second collegiate no-hitter, Georgian Court University ended the afternoon on a low note as the University of Findlay, courtesy of a seventh-inning five-spot, upset the #20 Lions, 6-3, in The Spring Games.
The Oilers (4-2) took an initial 1-0 lead in the first inning off GCU starting pitcher,
Sarah Clancy, by plating a run on a wild pitch. The royal-and-gold responded in the home half of the frame as
Kaitlyn Stufft smashed a two-run long ball to left-center, the first of the season for the sophomore. A
Taylor Lipkins infield single to the shortstop position brought in the Lions' third tally of the contest, providing Georgian Court a 3-1 cushion that they would massage until the tumultuous seventh.
After a lead-off strike out in the anticipated final frame, Findlay fired off a furious frenzy consisting of five runs on four hits and four bases-on-balls as the Oilers slipped past the Lions to take the three-run lead. Georgian Court battled in the bottom of the seventh as
Kalia Franklin and Lipkins (2-for-3) opened the stanza with back-to-back singles.
Kiara Meikle (2-for-3) followed with a one-out hit-by-pitch to load the bags, but the rally would come to an abrupt halt as a subsequent 1-2-3 double-play ended the comeback effort.
The pitching decisions would go to a pair of relief hurlers as
Lexie Hilling (Sr.-Hilliard, Ohio) earned the win with two scoreless frames out of the Findlay bullpen (2.0 IP, 2 H, BB, 2 K). Gilgert (1-1), after her game one masterpiece, struggled in her nightcap relief appearance as the senior permitted three runs (3 ER) on a hit and two walks two take the loss.Â
Clancy, in her first start of the year, yielded three runs (3 ER) on seven hits and three free passes (4 K) over 7.0 innings pitched in the no-decision.
GCU (1-1) returns to the diamond Sunday with games vs. Assumption College (10:00 a.m.) and Gannon University (12:15 p.m.).
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