Softball Finishes .500 in Florida
Cards will host home opener on Saturday

3/12/2008

WASHINGTON- The Catholic University softball squad finished off its spring break trip to the Rebel Spring Games in Kissimmee, Fla., with a .500 record.  CUA was propelled by a pair of wins on the final day to escape the trip going 4-4.

On Monday, CUA went 1-1 with a 9-7 loss to Chatham but a 5-1 victory over Ferrum in the second contest of the day.  Against Chatham, CUA had more hits and strikeouts on the mound but allowed five runs in the bottom of the seventh for the loss.  Ferrum was a different story as CUA scored five runs in the top of the second to take the lead and hold on.  The Cards had five hits in the inning including a two-run single from Rachel Baker (Riverdale, Md./Saint Vincent Pallotti) to center field as well as a double from shortstop Heather Holley (Owings, Md./Northern) which also brought two across the plate.

Tuesday's opening contest was against former Capital Athletic Conference rival Mary Washington who the Cards beat for the first time in program history last season.  This game didn't go as well with CUA falling 4-3.  However, the Cardinals once against redeemed themselves in the second game with an exciting 8-7 win over Widener.  Kerry Convery (Carmel, N.Y./Mahopac) notched three hits and an RBI in the game while Stephanie Clemente (Warren, N.J./Immaculata) had a pair of hits and a trio of RBI.  Clemente also got the win and complete game in the circle with three strikeouts.

After taking Wednesday off, Thursday proved to be difficult with a pair of 3-2 losses.  The first came against Misericordia in eight innings after CUA had tied it up in the top of the seventh when Christie Shaw (Worristown, Pa./Mount Saint Joseph) scored on a wild pitch but the Cardinal defense couldn't stop Misericordia in the eighth.  In the second game of the day, CUA lost to the Rochester Institute of Technology after it was tied at two going into the sixth.

On the final day of competition, the Cards avenged their earlier loss to RIT with a 6-3 victory in the first game.  Lynn Brown (Laurel, Md./Saint Vincent Pallotti) led the Cardinals with three hits and two RBI while Clemente got the win in the circle.  CUA led 3-2 going into the fifth and scored three runs in the top of the inning to take a commanding lead.  Kerry Convery started off with a double to center while Brown knocked two batters in with her long single.  Kara Walker (New Milford, N.J./Holy Angels) then got the RBI on her at bat bringing Brown across the plate for the win.

In the last game of the trip CUA defeated Walsh 6-5 in an exciting fashion scoring a run in the bottom of the seventh to get the victory.  In the all-around effort, the Cards posted eight hits and four RBI in the game allowing just two hits from Walsh.  

CUA's contest for Friday against Gallaudet has been cancelled so the Cards will open the season at home with a doubleheader against Mary Baldwin on Saturday at 1 p.m.