Boxscore Game 1
Boxscore Game 2
Photo Gallery
WILMINGTON, Del. – The Goldey-Beacom College softball team improved to 7-3 on the season as the Lightning swept Lincoln University with two 8-0 victories on Tues. afternoon at Midway Softball Complex.GBC dominated both games behind strong pitching performances by junior Shannon O'Hara and senior Heather Draper and a potent offensive attack that included 23 combined hits, three of which were homerun blasts by three different Lightning batters.
Game 1:
Both teams' bats were silent in the first frame, but junior Jordan Waterloo (4-for-4, 1 RBI, 3 runs scored) roped a single to left-center field to lead off the bottom of the second, which ignited a four-run Lightning rally that put them ahead to stay.
Senior Jackie Waddle (3-for-3, 1 RBI, 1 run) hit an RBI double and came around to score later in the inning, and freshman Ashley Zaccaria later hit a two-out, inside-the-park homerun deep to left field which made it 4-0, GBC.
Waterloo again led off in the third inning and came through with another base-hit to left field. She came around to score the second of her three runs in the game later in the inning to make it 5-0.
As O'Hara continued to mow down Lion batters, the Lightning added a run in the fourth and two in the sixth to extend their lead to the final margin of 8-0.
In the fourth, Waterloo's third hit plated junior pinch runner Shannon Graves, who ran in place of junior Danie Rice after she earned the second of her two walks in the game. Then in the sixth, junior Cailin Cavanaugh's base hit scored sophomore Ashley Antosh and freshman Michelle Foster's hard-hit ball right back at the pitcher allowed Waterloo to score when the ball ricocheted into right field. Foster led the team with two RBI in the game.
O'Hara pitched five innings and allowed no runs, no walks and just one loop single that managed to drop in right field in the top of the fifth, as she struck out seven of the 16 batters she faced to pick up the win. Antosh came on to close in the sixth inning and she retired the side in order with two strikeouts and a groundout.
The Lightning struck for seven runs in the bottom of the first and coasted to another 8-0 victory behind a strong pitching outing by senior Heather Draper.
GBC wasted no time in getting Draper run support as leadoff batter Zaccaria reached on an infield hit to start things off offensively for the Lightning. Junior Ashley Paige then lined a double to left field and advanced to third on a throw to the plate as Zaccaria came around to score.
Freshman Roni Peters' sacrifice fly plated Paige for the second run, and then Rice belted a solo blast to left field to make it 3-0.
Waterloo stayed hot at the plate as she ripped a single right up the middle of the field, and Cavanaugh followed with a hit as well. They both moved up a base on a passed ball and would come around to score on another hard-hit ball back up the middle, this time by Graves. An error by the Lincoln centerfielder Sharay DuBose allowed the speedy Graves to reach third on the play.
Still in the first inning with two outs, sophomore Erin Poffenberger drew a walk and then advanced to second on a passed ball. Zaccaria then drove the ball into left field for a 2 RBI double, scoring Graves and Poffenberger to give GBC a commanding, 7-0 lead.
Paige led off the bottom of the fourth inning with the third Lightning homerun of the day, a solo blast to left field, and gave GBC its eighth and final run which resulted in the game being halted after five innings.
Draper went three innings without allowing a run, hit or walk and meanwhile struck out four batters in nine batters faced. Sophomore Leanne Miller came on to pitch the final two innings, and she preserved the shutout by allowing no runs on two hits, one walk, and three strikeouts.
Zaccaria, Paige and Waterloo each collected two hits in the second game to lead GBC offensively. Zaccaria, Paige and Graves each had two RBI and Paige also scored two runs.
