The Georgetown softball team finally played its home opener for the 2014 season, splitting a doubleheader against Cornell on Tuesday. The Hoyas (16-13, 6-0 Big East) won the first game 7-1 but could not keep the momentum in game two, falling 6-0 to the Big Red (8-13, 0-2 Ivy League).

“We love being at home. We played our first 27 games on the road so it was great to be back at Guy Mason,” Head Coach Pat Conlan said.

Playing at Guy Mason Field for the first time this season, the Hoyas started out strong, scoring in the second inning. After two singles with one out put runners on first and second, sophomore catcher Molly Morrison doubled in the first run of the game. Senior centerfielder Elyse Graziano followed with another double to give the Blue and Gray the 2-0 lead.

“Anytime you can score early it sets the tone for the game,” Conlan said.

Graziano sparked the offense again in the bottom of the fourth when she led off with a triple, and sophomore shortstop Grace Appelbe followed with a two-run shot. In the sixth inning, junior pitcher Megan Hyson doubled to right center after Cornell allowed two walks, driving in a run. Sophomore infielder Samantha Giovanniello singled in two more, and the Hoyas took their seven-run lead into the last inning.

“We have received contributions from everyone in our lineup,” Conlan said. “I think this is what makes us dangerous right now. Anyone can start the rally or drive in the runs.”

Junior pitcher Lauren O’Leary got the start for Georgetown, and she tossed six shutout innings before allowing a lead off homerun in the top of the seventh. But she shut them down after that, earning the win for her complete-game, four-strikeout effort.

“I thought Lauren threw a great game. She’s been locating and spinning the ball well and really kept the Cornell bats quiet,” Conlan said.

Graziano led the offensive effort for the Hoyas, going 3-for-4 with a single, a double and a triple, with one RBI and a run scored.

But after a strong game offensively and defensively, the Hoyas struggled in the second game of the doubleheader. Georgetown committed an error in the top of the first that allowed Cornell to score two unearned runs, and the Hoyas never recovered.

Cornell junior catcher Sophie Giaquinto hit a two-run homerun in the third inning and drove in another two runs with her single in the seventh. She finished the game with two hits, a run and five RBIs.

Cornell senior pitcher Alyson Onyon went the distance for the complete game shutout, scattering three hits over seven innings and striking out 10. Senior pitcher Megan Hyson started for the Hoyas, but after the two unearned runs in the first inning, gave up four earned runs to take the loss, although she recorded nine strikeouts.

“I think the biggest difference from game one to game two against Cornell was their pitcher,” Conlan said. “She threw a fantastic game and kept our bats silent. We couldn’t get anything going offensively.”

Georgetown will not have much time to recover after its first loss since March 9 as it faces St. John’s this weekend in its third Big East series of the season.

St. John’s (15-17, 1-4 Big East) got its first conference win of the season against Butler last weekend when senior first baseman Jackie Reed went 4-6 with a homerun and four RBIs in two games.

St. John’s junior catcher and shortstop Erin Burner earned a spot on the Big East Weekly Honor Roll for her three-hit, three-run and five-RBI outing against Iona, in which she hit two homeruns.

“St. John’s has a strong team, but we won’t change anything we are doing to prepare for them,” Conlan said. “We will continue to work hard in all aspects of the game and get better at what we do. That’s the best kind of preparation.”

But the Hoyas’ Hyson took the top honor, being named Big East Player of the Week after her performance against Creighton last weekend. She earned two wins and recorded 23 strikeouts over two games as well as going 5-9 with a homerun in the series. She currently sports a .402 batting average and leads the team with 22 RBI.

Georgetown, DePaul and Seton Hall are the only remaining undefeated teams in the Big East play. The Hoyas currently sit atop the Big East with six conference wins.

“Every game is a big one — especially conference games,” Conlan said. “I am sure other teams are looking at our conference record and will target us.”

But she is not too worried about how her team will react or how they will attempt to continue their Big East winning streak.

“There’s no pressure,” she said. “We have a long season ahead of us still, and all I ask our team to do is go out, have fun and play the way they are capable of playing.”