Cardinals Sink Mariners in Doubleheader
Cards still in the hunt for the conference tournament

4/19/2008 

KINGS POINT, N.Y. - The Catholic University softball team utilized a sweep of the United States Merchant Marine Academy (11-20-1, 1-7-1 Landmark) Saturday to stay in the race for the Landmark Conference tournament.  The Cardinals won both games of the doubleheader coming out on top 4-2 and 4-1.  With a 13-15 overall record, 5-5 in the Landmark Conference, CUA is still eligible for the third or fourth slot in the conference tourney.  Final pairings will be decided next weekend in the conference finale.

The Cardinals started off strong in the first game with two quick runs in the first inning, capitalizing on a pair of Mariner errors.  USMMA generated one run in the bottom of the inning and tied it up in the bottom of the third after a double to left field brought in a runner.  However, things turned around for CUA in the top of the fifth when catcher Sophie Gage (Baltimore, Md./Mount de Sales) hit a homer to left field driving in one runner after a Kara Walker (New Milford, N.J./Holy Angels) single to get the go ahead run and the eventual 4-2 victory.

Both squads had four hits in the game and despite committing five errors in the field to USMMA's three the Cardinals managed to get the win.  Stacie Goddard (Nashua, N.H./Bishop Guertin) got the win in the circle for the Cards pitching the complete game with seven strikeouts and just four walks.  Gage led CUA at the plate with a solid performance notching two hits in as many at bats, two runs scored and a pair of RBI.

Just like the first game, the Mariners scored one run in the bottom of the first, however, this time it gave them the 1-0 lead.  In the top of the third, the Cardinals got on the board with some big hitting.  Kelly Lukacs (Chesterfield, N.J./Northern Burlington Regional) started it with a solo homer to tie it up and Kat Ager (Olney, Md./Good Counsel) kept it going notching a double to centerfield to drive in the runner.  As the defense hunkered down to hold the Mariners, the offense continued to add to the lead.  In the top of the sixth Gage crossed the plate after reaching on an error and being hit home on Steph Clemente's (Warren, N.J./Immaculata) sacrifice fly ball.  In the seventh, Katie Trotta (Seaford, N.Y./Saint Dominic) scored thanks to a single from Heather Holley (Owings, Md./Northern) making the final 4-1.

Ager led CUA with a 2-3 performance, one RBI and two doubles.  USMMA had one more hit than CUA but this time the Cardinals had two fewer errors.  Clemente pitched all seven innings and had as many strikeouts in the game.

The Cardinals will face Juniata next Saturday in a Landmark Conference doubleheader that will decided who makes the conference tournament.  The first game is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m.