LAKEWOOD, NJ (March 4, 2025) - Georgian Court Softball played their 2025 home opener Tuesday afternoon. The Lions offense was in full swing, but so too was West Chester's in a pair of high-scoring affairs. GCU totaled 15 runs in two games, but fell in each 19-9 and 11-6.

Game 1 - West Chester 19, Georgian Court 9
How it Happened
• This wild game featured 28 runs, 29 hits and eight errors.
• West Chester was able to overcome seven errors in the field which led to seven unearned runs.
• The Golden Rams clubbed four doubles and three home runs, while just one of the Lions eight hits went for extra bases.
• West Chester plated five in the first as the Golden Rams batted around. Each of the first six reached and four came in to score.
• GCU got two back in the home half. Cheyenne Jackson reached on an error and scored on Kaylin Curro's triple. Curro trotted home on a sacrfice fly for a 5-2 game.
• The Golden Rams scored in all but one inning. They added two in the second on a wild play. Hailey Melvin was safe on a bunt single and never stopped running. She stole second on the play and the throw from first base sailed into the outfield and to the wall scoring Melvin and Mairead Hopkins who doubled to start the inning.
• West Chester pushed the lead to 10-2 in the fourth, getting a solo home run from Paige Marabell and a two-RBI double from Lauren Daniels.
• GCU responded with a five-run inning of their own. They sent 10 to the plate in the inning and again took advantage of WCU's shotty defense. The biggest play was a dropped pop up by the shortstop with two outs which allowed two additional runs to cross the plate.
• That was no worries for West Chester though. They got those five runs right back with a five-run fifth. A bases loaded double scored two and GCU was in danger of being run-ruled.
• West Chester got two out with one on, but couldn't close the door. Lia DeMaio's punched a ball just over the drawn in infield and Julianna Kellogg came in to score. She came in to score as well and it was a 15-9 game after five.
• That was all the scoring for GCU but the Golden Rams plated a run in the sixth then hit two home runs in the seventh to put the game away 19-9.

Lion Stat Leaders
• Cheyenne Jackson finished 2-4 with two RBI and two stolen bases.
• Ella Moore singled twice.
• Lia DeMaio was 2-3 with two RBI and a pair of runs scored.
• Kaylin Curro tripled, scored and drove in a run.
• Julianna Kellogg scored twice. 

For the Golden Rams
• Mairead Hopkins reached base five times with four hits including a home run, three runs scored and three batted in.
• Hailey Melvin walked four times and scored four runs.
• Casey Best was 3-6 with a double and three runs batted in. 
• Makenzie Edwards got the win allowing three runs, one earned on four hits with three strikeouts.

Game 2 - West Chester 11, Georgian Court 6
How it Happened
• Georgian Court carried a late lead in this one, but couldn't hang on.
• West Chester had an abundance of base runners with 15 hits and three walks.
• GCU again took advantage of West Chester's defense which made five more errors in game two.
• The scoring started for GCU in the first when again West Chester couldn't catch a pop up. That allowed Kaylin Curro to score the game's first run.
• The Lions made it 4-0 in the third getting RBI hits from Curro, Ella Moore and Gabrille Aleman.
• The score stayed that way until the fifth. West Chester, who had hit into two inning-ending double plays, finally broke through. They got a two-RBI single and a two-out double to get to within one, 4-3.
• Georgian Court answered getting two back in the home half. After an error allowed Curro to reach, she scored on Moore's RBI double off the wall. Moore came in to score on an RBI ground ball and it was a 6-3 game.
• The dam broke in the sixth when the Golden Rams put up a six-spot. A bases loaded walk and a ground out brought in the first two runs. Then a two-out, two-RBI double gave WCU the lead and a two-run home run some insurance, 9-6. 
• Despite darkness becoming a factor, the game continued into the seventh. West Chester added to their total with another two-out, two-run home run. The Lions went quietly in the bottom of the inning and the Golden Rams comeback secured the doubleheader sweep for West Chester.

Lion Stat Leaders
• Gabriella Aleman collected three hits and an RBI.
• Ella Moore doubled twice, scored twice and drove in two runs.
• Kaylin Curro scored three runs.

For the Golden Rams
• Mairead Hopkins finished 3-4 with three runs, including a home run and two RBI,
• Paige Marabell was 3-4 with a home run and three RBI. 
• Lauryn Kane drove in three runs. 
• Danielle Ciliberto came on the pitch the final 2.2 innings without allowing a run. She gave up just one hit and struck out two.

News and Notes
• The total game time was 4 hours and 43 minutes.
• Janelle Blaszka surpassed 300 career innings pitched.
• Gabriella Aleman picked up her 30th career hit. 

Up Next
• Georgian Court embarks on their spring break trip. First up is Barton Saturday, March 8 in Wilson, NC.