ST. MARY'S CITY, Md. - The Catholic University baseball team opened its 2020 season with a 6-0 win over St. Mary's (Md.) Tuesday afternoon at Hawk's Nest field. 

Good pitching and defense as well as some timely hitting helped the Cardinals defeat the Seahawks. The win marks the second time in the last four years the Cards have opened the season with a win at St. Mary's, the last being a 14-1 victory on Feb. 21, 2017.

Catholic wasted no time in getting some runs on the board, scoring three in the top of the first inning. Senior Cid Porter singled to get things going, and junior Michael Doody followed with an infield single to put runners in scoring position. Senior Nolan Lundholm's fielder's choice ground out scored a run, and then freshman Ben Nardi reached on an error to score a second run. 

Senior Connor Cozad then smacked an RBI double to left field to bring home Nardi and give the visitors a 3-0 lead in the game's first half inning. 

The Cardinals added another run in the second inning with an RBI single from Doody, his second hit in as many innings. Junior Tighe Watson walked with one out and senior Connor Sullivan was hit by a pitch to put two runners on. After a strikeout, Doody delivered with a two-out knock to make the score 4-0.

From there, the Catholic pitching staff held the Seahawks in check for an impressive opening day start. Six different pitchers limited St. Mary's to just five hits in the nine-inning contest for a shutout win.

Senior Chris Kelly got the start for the Cardinals. The right-hander faced just ten batters in his three scoreless innings and gave up just one hit. Freshman Tucker Alch came in afterwards and impressed in his collegiate debut with two strikeouts in two innings. 

Matt Tesoriero, Eric Moore, Ethan Risse, and Jack Ropelewski all pitched one inning each to close out the contest and preserve the shutout. 

In the final inning of the contest, junior Kendric Musser walked and eventually came around to score after a couple wild pitches. Doody then added an RBI sacrifice fly for his second run batted in of the afternoon. The 6-0 lead remained the same as Ropelewski closed out the game for the team's first win.

The Cardinals have now won seven of its last 11 season openers, including three of the last four. Catholic last got an opening day win via the shutout on Feb. 28, 2010 in a 24-0 victory at Gallaudet.

Head coach Ross Natoli and team open up at Robert J. Talbot Field this weekend for a weekend series against Montclair State. The Saturday, February 22 doubleheader is set to begin at noon with a third game on Sunday set for noon as well.