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WILMINGTON, Del. – Led by sophomore outfielder Michelle Foster (Overbrook H.S./West Berlin, N.J.), the Goldey-Beacom College softball team (20-21, 10-11) closed its home schedule by splitting a pair of Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference games against Philadelphia University (11-28, 8-14) at the Lightning's Jackson Athletic Complex on Tuesday afternoon.

Playing for the second straight day, the Lightning exploded for 10 runs, including seven in the third inning, to win the first game by a 10-2 margin in five innings. However, the Rams snapped a four-game losing streak in the nightcap by edging Goldey-Beacom in eight innings, 3-2.

With the doubleheader split, the Lightning remained in a tie for ninth place in the CACC standings with Holy Family, which dropped a pair of games against Georgian Court on Tuesday. The top eight teams in the CACC standings qualify for the conference tournament on April 26-28.

The Lightning jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the second inning in the first game. After senior outfielder Cailin Cavanaugh (Newark H.S./Newark, Del.) scored on a wild pitch with one out to give Goldey-Beacom a 1-0 edge, senior first baseman Jordan Waterloo (Thomas Stone H.S./Waldorf, Md.) upped the advantage to 2-0 when she scored on a passed ball by sophomore catcher Meaghan Lewis (Chenango Valley H.S./Binghamton, N.Y.).

In the bottom of the third inning, Goldey-Beacom took advantage of three errors by the Rams to score seven runs for a commanding 9-0 lead. After sophomore pitcher Roni Peters (Leonardtown H.S./Leonardtown, Md.) hit a bunt single to give the Lightning a 3-0 edge, Cavanaugh reached on an error to score two more runs for a 5-0 cushion.

Another error by the Rams drove in two more runs for a 7-0 Goldey-Beacom lead before freshman second baseman Katrina Swank (Caravel Academy/Newark, Del.) added another run on Philadelphia University's third error of the inning. An RBI groundout by senior utility player Ashley Paige (Hodgson Vo-Tech H.S./Middletown, Del.) extended the Goldey-Beacom advantage to 9-0.

In the fourth inning, the Rams scored a pair of runs to trim the deficit to 9-2. After Lewis tripled to right center field to drive in Philadelphia's first run, a sacrifice fly by freshman pitcher Samantha Abromavage (Jefferson Township H.S./Lake Hopatcong, N.J.) scored Lewis to close the gap to seven runs.

But, the Lightning ended the game by the eight-run rule in the fifth inning when senior outfielder Shannon Graves (Glassboro H.S./Glassboro, N.J.) laid down a bunt single to score Swank from third base, giving Goldey-Beacom a 10-2 victory.

Foster gave Goldey-Beacom a 1-0 lead in the first inning of the nightcap when she hit an RBI groundout to score Graves, who had opened the inning with a triple.

However, the Rams answered by scoring twice in the top of the third inning to take a 2-1 lead. Freshman outfielder Emma Haley (Jensen Beach H.S./Jensen Beach, Fla.) singled and advanced on a Lightning error to score sophomore first baseman Margo DeBerardinis (Moorestown H.S./Moorestown, N.J.) from second base.

With two outs in the inning, Lewis gave Philadelphia University a 2-1 advantage when she hit a sacrifice fly to center field that allowed Haley to score.

But, the Lightning responded by tying the game at 2-2 in the bottom of the third inning when freshman shortstop Samantha Alonzo (Roy C. Ketcham H.S./Wappinger Falls, N.Y.) hit a run-scoring sacrifice fly to center field.

In the eighth inning, the Rams broke through with a run to regain a one-run advantage when freshman Andrea Schell (Voorhees H.S./Glen Gardner, N.J.) singled up the middle with two outs.

The Lightning, which split its fourth consecutive doubleheader, was able to get runners on second and third base with one out in the bottom of the inning, but Abromavage retired the side to preserve the victory.

Foster led the Lightning to the doubleheader split by posting four hits in six at-bats with two runs scored and a run batted in. Meanwhile, junior pitcher Ashley Antosh (Twin Valley H.S./Honey Brook, Pa.) earned her fourth win of the season in the opener by scattering five hits in five innings while striking out four hitters. She did not allow a walk.

Freshman shortstop Stephanie Martin (Seton Keough H.S./Hanover, Md.) led the Rams by collecting three hits with a run scored while Lewis added two more hits and scored twice.

The Lightning will open a four-game road trip to finish the regular season on Thursday afternoon by traveling to Chestnut Hill for a doubleheader at 3 p.m. Meanwhile, the Rams will host Holy Family on Thursday afternoon in a key CACC doubleheader.

Lightning Strikes: The Lightning scored at least 10 runs for the first time since March 17 at Felician … It is also the sixth time this year they have tallied 10 or more runs in a game … Goldey-Beacom is now 2-1 in extra-inning games this year … Graves now has a hit in six straight games … Meanwhile, Foster has a team-high 46 hits and needs just two hits to tie the GBC single-season record of 48 hits, which was set by Lauren Witzke in 2009 … Waterloo now needs just three hits to become the 10th player in school history to record 100 or more career hits.