EASTON, Pa. - Junior Missy McCormick threw a shutout and Hailey Balk hit a three-run homerun, lifting the Towson University softball team to an 8-0 win in six innings over the Lafayette Leopards on Wednesday in game one of a doubleheader at Metzgar Fields.

In game two, the Leopards (3-19) defeated Towson (17-12), 9-6.

The Tigers started game one hot, scoring five times in the second inning against Lafayette pitcher Melissa Robinson. After McCormick singled to lead off the inning, she advanced to third base when freshman Jessica South reached first base on a Lafayette error. South then stole second base and McCormick came home on the play, giving the Tigers a 1-0 lead.

After Macie McGeehan hit an RBI single later in the inning, Olivia Yarbrough walked, putting two runners on base for Balk. She responded by hitting her second homer of the season and putting the Tigers in front, 5-0.

McGeehan added an another RBI single in the third inning, while Caitie Barber drew a bases loaded walk to give the Tigers a comfortable 7-0 lead after three innings.

McCormick did the rest, limiting Lafayette to just two hits and two walks in six innings, striking out eight batters. She earned her team-high eighth win of the season.

The game ended when Maureen Hepner hit a single to rightfield in the sixth inning, scoring Yarbrough and giving Towson the 8-0 win due to the run rule.

In game two, it was Lafayette which had the early offensive output. The Leopards scored six times in the second inning to go up 7-0 over Towson. Allison Brown hit a three-run homer and Kristen Berger had a two-run double for Lafayette in the inning.

The Tigers stormed back in the fourth inning when they loaded the bases for freshman catcher Holiday Cahill. She ripped a two-run double down the rightfield line, scoring McGeehan and Courtney Johnson to give Towson its first runs of the game. South then hit a sacrifice fly to add another run.

The Tigers continued to pour it on in the frame, as Yarbrough and Balk each had run scoring hits to pull Towson to within 7-5.

Lafayette added a run in the fifth inning before Cahill led off the top of the sixth with a solo homerun, her second of the season.

However, the Leopards then made a pitching change, as Bryn Gornick allowed just two bases runners the rest of the way to preserve the Lafayette victory.

The Tigers return to action on Saturday as they take on James Madison in Harrisonburg, Va., in a doubleheader beginning at 3 p.m.