Box Score Lakewood, N.J. - Georgian Court University, hosting an NCAA Division II regional postseason contest for the first time in program history, was none too kind to its guest, the University of Bridgeport, as the #3 Lions edged the #7 Purple Knights. 2-1, in Thursday's opening game of the 2022 Softball Championship East 2 Region bracket.

GCU (39-13) now moves on to play Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) rival, Wilmington University (35-18), as the #3 Wildcats walked off #6 Franklin Pierce University (29-11), 3-2, in the day's nightcap.

A two-run rope over the left-center field wall from CACC and D2 CCA East Region Player of the Year, Kaitlyn Stufft, accounted for the Lions' only two tallies on the day. The slugging sophomore increases her team-leading home run total to 19 and sits five RBI short of the program's all-time mark (73) with 68 this sensational season.

CACC Pitcher of the Year, Mikayla Gilgert, took it from there as the Lions' ace fired six shutout frames before permitting an unearned run in the seventh en route to the senior's 26th win of the year (26-7). The native of Apache Junction, Ariz. scattered five hits and walked a lone batter (3 K) in her 21st complete game of the campaign.Gilgert moves to 2-0 on the year vs. Bridgeport, no-hitting the Purple Knights, 3-0, in GCU's season-opener back on Feb. 26 in Winter Haven, Fla.

Bridgeport's top arm, Kaite Burawski (Jr.-Hartly, Del.), dropped to 25-7 for the Purple Knights as the all-region hurler authored a complete-game gem of her own (6.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 8 K, 2 BB). The star pitcher has now struck out 23 Lions in her two starts vs. Georgian Court in 2022.

Georgian Court, winner of 11-straight, defeated the Wildcats last Friday, 6-4, in the CACC Championship Tournament semifinals. Wilmington swept the Lions in a regular-season twin-bill back on April 14 in New Castle, Del.