Cards Fall Short Versus #21 Hopkins
Game is called after five innings due to inclement weather

4/3/2008 

WASHINGTON - The Catholic University baseball team came close to a major upset Thursday but Mother Nature stood in its way as rain ended a Cardinal comeback versus the #21 Johns Hopkins Blue Jays (16-3).  The Cardinals fell 7-6 in five innings as the rain poured down.  With the loss the Cardinals drop to 11-9 on the season while the Blue Jays continue their 12-game win streak.

A single and a double in the top of the first gave JHU a 1-0 lead but the Cardinals quickly evened the score after Tommy Little (Hyattsville, Md./DeMatha) reached on a single and was brought home on a fielder's choice by Mike Goodman (Brookville, Md./Sherwood).  The CUA defense held the Blue Jays to just three batters in the second and the offense took the lead in the bottom half of the inning.  Tommy Bowles (Davidsonville, Md./Mount Saint Joe) started it out with a triple to centerfield and he crossed the plate on a single down the left field line by Matt Rosner (Cherry Hill, N.J./Cherry Hill West). 

After a solid second, the defense struggled in the third allowing three hits, hitting a batter and committing a fielding error as JHU scored three to flip the lead back to the visitors.  Hopkins continued to build on the advantage with two more in the fourth as the pitchers and fielders struggled in the poor conditions.  In the bottom of the fourth it was CUA's turn to take advantage of the wet field as they scored two runs coming from a hit batter and an error to make it 6-4 going into the fifth.

In the top of the fifth the Hopkins lead off reached on a CUA error and eventually rounded the bases on a sac fly to make it 7-4 giving the Cards little hope.  However, CUA rallied in the bottom of the inning with the first two batters getting on thanks to a walk and an error.  With runners on second and third, Joe Maca (Oyster Bay, N.Y./Saint Dominic) hit a long single to right field allowing both to score pulling CUA within one run.  Unfortunately the Cards couldn't pull it out and with the final pitch of the inning, the game was called due to weather making the final 7-6.

Maca led CUA going 3-4 at the plate with two RBI while Little added a 2-3 performance.  Robbie O'Brien (Columbia, Md./Long Reach) was 1-3 but contributed a pair of RBI for the Cards.  CUA had nine hits to Hopkins' seven and both teams committed two costly errors.

The Cards will now gear up for a Landmark Conference weekend on the road at Susquehanna.