Cardinals fall to Hornets in doubleheader on the road

WINCHESTER, Va. – CUA dropped a tough doubleheader on Saturday at Shenandoah falling to the Hornets 4-3 in the opener and 8-6 in the nightcap.  Sam Daubman and Kristen Trancynger both went 3 for 6 on the day with Daubman also collecting three RBI.

Game one was scoreless until CUA struck for two runs in the top of the fourth when Mel Galella doubled in Stockinger to give the Cardinals a 1-0 lead.  Erin McMakin then doubled in Galella to give CUA a 2-0 advantage.

The Hornets struck back immediately with two runs of their own in the bottom half of the fourth to tie the game.  Shatora Lane drove home Jolisa Jones with a double and Lane then came home on a single by Denise Mitchell.

Shenandoah took its first lead of the day in the bottom of the fifth when the Hornets scored twice on an Ashley Plaugher single, which plated Catherine Pruiett and Renoula Jones.

CUA looked to send the game into extra innings in the top-half of the seventh when Galella brought home Daubman on a groundout to make it a 4-3 game.  With a runner on third and two down Megan Rizzi stepped to the plate with a chance to tie things up, but she grounded out to shortstop, which ended any hope of a CUA rally.

Brooke Over took the win in game one for Shenandoah as she went the distance, striking out five and walking just three.  For CUA Kerri Apicella suffered the loss after she surrendered four earned runs in six innings of work.  The Cardinals hurler struck out one during her time in the circle.

Shenandoah wasted little time in jumping on top of CUA in game two as the Hornets scored twice in the bottom of the first to take an early 2-0 lead.

Pruiett’s fielder’s choice in the second then brought home the Hornets third run as CUA found itself in an early hole. 

The Cardinals came all the way back in their half of the fourth as CUA plated three runs to tie things up.  Elizabeth Best singled to left field to drive home Trancynger, and Daubman later singled to bring in a pair of runs in Best and Tracey Scanlon.

In the very next inning CUA took its first lead of the game with two more runs as Trancynger first brought home Rizzi with an RBI double to center field.  Later, with the bases loaded, Daubman walked, forcing in CUA’s fifth run of the afternoon and the Cardinals were on top 5-3.

Following a scoreless top of the sixth by CUA, Shenandoah erupted for five runs in the bottom half as the Hornets surged in front 8-5.  The big blow in the inning was delivered by Plaugher who brought home two runs with a single.

Trailing by three, CUA was down to its final at bat, but the Cardinals never gave up as they loaded the bases with walks to Danielle Nichols, Stockinger and Galella.  Rizzi then came up and drove home Jackie Diiulio, who was pinch running for Nichols, and CUA was within two, 8-6. 

McMakin then came up with a chance to get the Cardinals even closer, but she fouled out, ending the game.

Jordan Wolford picked up the win in game two as she allowed only one earned run in two innings of work for the Hornets.  McMakin was the loser after walking eight and surrendering seven runs, only two of which were earned, in 5.1 innings.

The Cardinals are now off for the next week before heading to Florida for their annual spring break trip.  CUA will play two games on March 6 in Kissimmee, Florida at the Rebel Spring Games, first taking on Aurora at 11 a.m. and then Greensboro at 1 p.m.