WASHINGTON - The Gallaudet University softball team split a United East Conference doubleheader at home against Lancaster Bible College on a picturesque day in the nation's capital.

Gallaudet (11-11, 5-3 United East) won the second game of the twin bill with a 3-1 win over Lancaster Bible (7-11, 3-5 United East) at the GU Softball Complex. The visiting Chargers won the first game, 10-2.

Freshman pitcher Christina Elsbury (Uniontown, Ohio) pitched a complete game gem in the second game as she struck out a career best 10 batters in seven innings.

The Bison got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the first when freshman Lou Cherena (El Paso, Texas) singled down the left field line to bring home sophomore Elaine Swecker (San Diego, Calif.) for the early 1-0 lead.

GU held the one-run advantage until the fifth when Lancaster Bible's Alyssa Hamilton doubled home a run to knot the game at one apiece.

The Bison got a run back in the bottom half of the fifth as a LBC wild pitch allowed sophomore Caitlyn Smith (Indianapolis, Ind.) to score from third base.

LBC starting pitcher Chloe King (1-3) threw another wild pitch in the sixth inning as junior Emma Giuntoli (Austin, Texas) raced home to score GU's third run.

Elsbury (6-5) held on for the win as she struck out the last batter to secure Gallaudet's fifth conference win. Elsbury allowed one run on four hits, walked five and struck out 10.

In the first game, Lancaster Bible scored four runs in the top of the first and later added several insurance runs to defeat the Bison, 10-2.

Gallaudet scored two runs in the bottom of the sixth to push the 8-2 game to the seventh inning.

Giuntoli (1-1) took the loss in the circle while her counterpart Alyssa Hamilton (4-4) picked up the win for the Chargers.

Elsbury and Cherena had RBI singles in the two-run sixth for the Bison. 

UP NEXT
Gallaudet will travel to Williamsport, Pa., this Friday, April 7, for a doubleheader against Penn College (11-5, 3-1 United East) at 3 p.m.