Clermont, Fla. – The Catholic University of America softball team opened the 2016 in sunny Florida, playing four games in two days as part of the PFX Spring Games. The Cardinals began the year with a 3-1 record.

All-Landmark catcher Kristina Lozupone started the season red-hot, hitting 5-of-11 with four runs, four RBI, four walks and a walk-off RBI against Mount Union. Sophomore Alyssa Keane hit her and CUA's first home run of the season against Mount Union and plated four runs against Hanover to lead Catholic with seven RBI through four games. 

In the circle, Megan Colline is 2-0 with just one run allowed through 8.0 innings with four strikeouts. Rookie Kelly Lynch made he first two appearances for the Cards, going 14.0 innings with a 2.00 ERA.

CUA scored three runs in its first inning of the year and tacked on five more in the fifth to run past Johnson State in the first game of the year. Colline went all five innings, allowing just two hits, while striking out four. 

Augustana got all three of its runs in third in Catholic's second game, but the Cardinals got two back in the sixth on RBI's by Lozupone and Rebekah Hoisl. Unfortunately, CUA could get no closer in its first loss of the season.

The Cards played a thriller this morning against Mount Union, going to extra innings and even trailing by one in the final frame. Down 6-5 in the bottom of the eighth, Hoisl came up with a big RBI single to tie it up and then stole second to put the go-ahead run in scoring position. Lozupone came trough, singling in the walk-off run.

Catholic rode the momentum in its next game, erupting for 15 runs against Hanover. 12 different Cardinals had a hit, while nine different players crossed the plate and seven had at least one RBI.

CUA will get a day off before playing another four games in two days beginning on Wednesday.