La VERNE, Calif. -- George Fox softball started its season with a doubleheader against the La Verne Leopards, winning the first game and dropping the second.

Game One
Dominant pitching set the tone early as Fox allowed just one run in their first game of the season. In her first collegiate game, Freshman Kami Gibson pitched all seven innings, striking out seven. 

The Bruins started the first inning slow, but then exploded for five runs on five hits. Alyia Harmon and Emma Classen hit back-to-back singles to start the inning. A walk loaded the bases, and then the Bruins picked up their first run of the year off another walk–- and Kamryn Potter's first RBI of the year as well. Sydney Sandifer laced a double to bring in two runs, followed by a Sharon Tomei double to bring in the rest of the runs to round out the five-run second inning. 

The Bruins added one more run in the top half of the third to push their lead out to six, and Gibson went to work closing out the Leopards. La Verne squeaked a run in the fourth, but they couldn't close the gap the rest of the way as Fox picked up the season-opening win.

Game Two
The second game had much more offensive firepower from the Leopards, as they put up six runs in the first two innings to put Fox in a 6-0 hole. 

Kamryn Potter smacked the Bruins' first home run of the season, to start the Bruins offensively– the solo shot got one run across in the top of the third. Fox scored three unearned runs on smart base running in the fourth to cut the lead to 6-4. La Verne scored another run in the bottom of the fourth, Fox responded with a Tomei sac fly, and a two-run bomb off the bat of Mikaelie Sullivan to tie the game at 7-7.

A tough fifth inning for Bruins pitchers resulted in the Leopards scoring three runs, putting GFU back in a hole. Fox had the bases loaded during their last at-bats, but a double play ended the game to give the Bruins a 10-7 loss.

Top Performances
Sharon Tomei went 3-5 on the day, with three RBIs. Kamryn Potter went 4-6 with a home run and two doubles. Kami Gibson was the best pitcher of the day from either side, pitching a complete game while striking out seven (three looking).

What It Means
Both teams start the season 1-1. 

What Comes Next
Fox plays two games against Pomona-Pitzer, where the first pitch for the first game is scheduled for noon and the second scheduled for 2 pm.