Chestertown, Md. - Gettysburg College erupted for 31 runs and hit five home runs on Saturday to sweep a key Centennial Conference softball doubleheader at Washington College with a pair of five-inning, run-rule victories.
 
The Bullets (16-12, 7-5 CC) won Saturday's opener 18-1 before taking the nightcap, 13-2, to post their most runs in a doubleheader since March 17, 2011, when they also scored 31 times in a sweep of Mount Saint Vincent College. 
 
Gettysburg is now tied for the fourth and final playoff spot with McDaniel College with two conference doubleheaders remaining.  
 
The Bullets and Green Terror, who sit a game behind the second-place tie between Washington (16-13, 8-4 CC) and Haverford College, while Muhlenberg College, who the Bullets play on Sunday, lurk just behind with a 5-5 CC record and three twin bills left. 
 
Freshman Lauren O'Leary (Manasquan, N.J./Jackson Memorial) went 5-for-7 with two home runs, six RBI, and six runs scored while junior Olivia Moser (Robbinsville, N.J./Robbinsville) went 6-for-6 with a home run while scoring six runs and driving in five on the day.
 
Freshman Elliana Hopple (Collegeville, Pa./The Episcopal Academy) tied Gettysburg's single-game RBI record and went 4-for-7 in the doubleheader with a grand slam, and eight RBI.
 
Game 1
 
Gettysburg set the tone for the day with a five-run first inning in Saturday's opener and scored in all five innings, plating at least three runs in four of them, to notch an 18-1, five-inning victory.
 
Hopple hit a first-inning grand slam and tied a program record with seven RBI in the contest, becoming the fourth Bullets player to reach the mark and first since Adrienne Rahs did so in 2012. Hopple finished the game 3-for-4 at the plate and was a triple shy of the cycle.
 
O'Leary and sophomore Allegra DeCandia (Basking Ridge, N.J./Ridge High School) added three-run home runs for Gettysburg, which led 14-0 after three innings.
 
Moser went 3-for-3 with a walk and scored four runs in the contest. DeCandia, O'Leary, junior Jess Campana (Brick, N.J./Saint John Vianney), and sophomore Giovanna Komst (Londonderry, N.H./Londonderry High School) collected two hits apiece for the Bullets in the opener.
 
While the offense was clicking on all cylinders, freshman Paige Forry (Reading, Pa./Schuylkill Valley) was dominating the pitching circle, allowing just one run on three hits - all of which were singles. Forry struck out three batters and did not allow a walk while improving to 9-4 on the season.
 
Gettysburg outhit Washington 15-3 in the contest and committed one error versus none for the hosts.  The Bullets also drew seven walks in the contest.
 
Game 2
 
In Saturday's nightcap, Washington held a 2-1 lead after the first inning, before Gettysburg scored seven times in the second inning before adding four more runs in the third to pull away with the 13-2 victory in five innings.
 
Moser went 3-for-3 with a home run and totaled four RBI and two runs scored while O'Leary was also 3-for-3 with a home run, a walk, four runs scored, and three RBI.
 
Campana added a pair of hits, two RBI, and two runs scored, DeCandia drove in a pair of runs, and sophomore Julia Smith (Marydel, Md./Queen Anne's County) went 2-for-3 with a triple and two runs scored in the game two win.
 
Junior Jasmin Herrera (Hollywood, Fla./Cooper City) earned her third win of the season, tossing three scoreless innings with two hits against while striking out one in a relief appearance. 
 
Sophomore Megan Hughes (Woodstock, Md./Marriotts Ridge) closed out the win in the circle, spinning two perfect innings with one strikeout.
 
The Bullets held a 13-5 advantage in hits in the contest and played clean defense while Washington committed three errors.  
 
Up Next
 
Gettysburg is right back in action tomorrow afternoon at Muhlenberg for another critical Centennial Conference doubleheader. The first pitch is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. in Allentown.