Site: GCU Softball Field #1 (Lakewood, N.J.)
Final Scores: Georgian Court 9, Goldey-Beacom 3; Georgian Court 8, Goldey-Beacom 5
Records: Goldey-Beacom (8-29, 5-19), Georgian Court (22-17, 16-6)
Next GBC Event: Saturday, Apr. 26 vs. Dominican (DH) | 1 p.m. | Jackson Athletic Complex (Wilmington, Del.)
GBC-Georgian Court Box Scores (HTML): Game 1 |
Game 2LAKEWOOD, N.J. - Although senior utility player
Roni Peters (Leonardtown H.S./Leonardtown, Md.) had four runs and drove in four runs, the Goldey-Beacom College softball team (8-29, 5-19) dropped a pair of Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference games against Georgian Court University (22-17, 16-6) in their regular season road finale at the GCU Softball Field on Monday afternoon.
The Lions, who have won three games in a row, claimed the first game by a 9-3 margin before earning the sweep with an 8-5 victory in the nightcap.
In addition to going four-for-eight at the plate with a home run and two doubles, Peters set a pair of school records in the doubleheader. After becoming the Lightning's all-time leader in games played by appearing in her 162nd career game in the opener, she made the 159th start of her college career in the second game to set the school record for career games started.
In the first game, the Lions jumped out to a 2-0 lead off senior pitcher
Courtney Dolson (Gloucester H.S./Gloucester, N.J.). An RBI single by senior infielder
Taylor McDonough (Toms River, N.J.) scored the first run of the game for Georgian Court before senior
Briana Molino (Williamstown, N.J.) added another run on a delayed steal with one out in the inning.
With two outs in the bottom of the third inning, Georgian Court upped its advantage to 3-0 when senior infielder
Emma Erbig (Brick, N.J.) drove in a run with a double down the left field line.
But, the Lightning trimmed the deficit to 3-2 in the top of the fourth inning when freshman outfielder
Charlee King (Hodgson Vo-Tech H.S./New Castle, Del.) hit a two-run double to left center field.
After the Lions added a pair of insurance runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to extend the lead to 5-2, King drove in another run for the Lightning with a sacrifice fly to center field in the top of the sixth inning, closing the margin to 5-3. However, Georgian Court secured the victory by scoring four times in the bottom of the sixth inning, including a two-run home run by senior
Justine Mattia (Williamstown, N.J.).
Led by a pair of home runs by McDonough and freshman
Kelly Hardiman (Howell Township H.S./Howell, N.J.), the Lions sprinted out to a 4-0 lead in the first three innings of the second game.
The Lightning narrowed the gap to 4-1 in the top of the fourth inning as sophomore catcher
Alivia Schoff (Rising Sun H.S./Colora, Md.) scored on a double play.
In the top of the fifth inning, Peters cut the margin to 4-2 when she hit a double down the left field line to score freshman utility player
Amber Wroble (Chopticon H.S./Mechanicsville, Md.).
But, the Lions answered by scoring four runs over the next two innings, including three runs in the bottom of the sixth inning, to expand the advantage to 8-2.
Trailing by six runs to begin the top of the seventh inning, the Lightning began to mount a comeback against the Lions. After seniors
Ashley Zaccaria (Gloucester City H.S./Gloucester City, N.J.) and
Michelle Foster (Overbrook H.S./West Berlin, N.J.) singled with one out in the inning, Peters hit her first home run of the season with a three-run shot to center field for an 8-5 score.
But, freshman pitcher
Abigali Merryman (Gloucester Catholic H.S./Sewell, N.J.) entered the game and retired the next two Goldey-Beacom batters to earn her second save of the season and end the Lightning's comeback bid.
Molino led the Lions to the doubleheader sweep by collecting five hits while scoring five runs with three runs batted in. Meanwhile, Erbig had three hits with three runs batted in.
While Peters led the Lightning, King added three runs batted in with a pair of hits. Foster also scored a pair of runs, allowing her to set the Goldey-Beacom career record for runs scored. She has now scored 91 runs in her career, surpassing the previous record of 89 set by
Shannon Graves (2009-12).
The Lightning will begin a season-ending four-game homestand on Saturday, Apr. 26 when they host Dominican College for a CACC doubleheader. Prior to the 1 p.m. start, the Lightning will honor their four-member senior class.
