WASHINGTON - The Catholic University of America baseball team tallied 15 hits in their contest against Franklin & Marshall on Thursday afternoon, but could not hold off the Diplomats as they fell 11-9 in nine innings.

The Cardinals opened the game with hot bats in the first inning as freshman standout Bailey Lewis drove a 2-RBI double to center field during his first at-bat. He then crossed the plate later in the inning when sophomore David Gately popped a sacrifice fly to center field.

Ahead 3-0, the Cardinals stopped the Diplomats in the first two innings, but F & M drove home five runs in the top of the third. CUA answered by crushing a pair of 2-run homers in the bottom of the inning. Sophomore Anthony Ferlise lobbed the ball over the left field wall to bring in Lewis. Gately followed with a single to center and senior Andrew Stewart blasted the ball out of the park.

Lewis drove in another RBI in the bottom of the fourth while Stewart brought home Ferlise in the sixth. The Diplomats tallied three in the fifth.

The Cardinals were just two outs from the win, ahead 9-8, in the ninth inning. F & M junior Reed Williams hit a 2-RBI double to snatch the lead. Freshman Brian Meerholz singled to bring home Williams, increasing the Diplomats run count to 11. In the bottom of the inning the Cards were unable to get on base, ultimately falling 11-9.

The Cardinals return home this weekend, taking on Hood College, Saturday, March 12 in a double header. First pitch is at noon.