Cardinals split opening games at Rebel Spring Games

KISSIMMEE, Fla. – CUA opened its annual spring break trip on Sunday by splitting a pair of games at the Rebel Spring Games.  The Cardinals defeated Aurora 12-4 in the opener in six innings before falling to Greensboro 4-2 in the nightcap.  Taylor Stockinger had four hits and a pair of RBI on the day for CUA.

Against Aurora, CUA jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the bottom of the first.  Stockinger doubled to lead the game off and Mel Galella drove her home with a single.  Following a Megan Rizzi double Galella came home on a wild pitch and the Cardinals were on top 2-0.

Later in the inning, an Erin McMakin sac fly plated Rizzi and Tracey Scanlon then came across after an Aurora error to give CUA a four-run advantage.

Aurora answered with three runs in the top of the second to pull within one, but CUA scored single runs in the third and fourth to make it a 6-3 game.

Another single run by Aurora in the fifth made it 6-4, but the Cardinals exploded for five runs in its half of the inning to open up an 11-4 advantage.  Jillian Zic brought in the first run with an RBI single and Stockinger drove home the second with an RBI single of her own.

Galella’s single plated Zic and made it 9-4 in favor of CUA and Rizzi’s single scored Stockinger to make it a six-run game.  With runners on the corners CUA executed a double steal to perfection with Isabelle Pisini swiping second and Galella coming home to give the Cardinals a seven-run lead after five innings.

CUA then ended the game with a run in the bottom of the sixth with Scanlon scoring on Stockinger’s RBI single to set the final margin at eight, 12-4.

McMakin earned the win for CUA by striking out two and allowing only one earned run in 4.2 innings of work, while Amanda McLean suffered the loss after she gave up two runs and four hits in one inning.

CUA faced a stiff test in game number-two, taking on a Greensboro team that earned an NCAA Tournament bid a season ago.  But the Cardinals hung with the Pride for the entire afternoon.

Greensboro struck first with two runs in the bottom of the first, but CUA tied things at two with a pair of runs in the next half inning.  With two outs the Cardinals began their rally with Scanlon walking and Nina Curto doubling her home.  Meagan Daubman was next and she reached on an error, which brought Curto across the plate and tied things at two.

After a scoreless third inning, Greensboro retook the lead with a pair of runs in its half of the fourth.  The big blow came from Kanisha Fogg who stroked a two-run double.     

CUA had one last chance to tie the game in the seventh but after Scanlon walked the Cardinals were unable to bring her home and the Pride hung on for the win.

Kerri Apicella had a solid day for CUA in the circle, striking out three in six innings of work, but she ultimately had to settle for the loss.  Kelsey Sanfilipo earned the win for the Pride by allowing no earned runs and just a single hit.  She also struck out one.

Action from Florida continues on Monday when the Cardinals take on Mitchell and Muskingum.