WASHINGTON, D.C. - The Catholic University softball team split with Elizabethtown on Saturday, 13-5 and 1-0.

Nine players had 18 hits for Catholic (9-3, 9-3 LC), including senior Makayla Czan who went 5-for-6at the plate with one double and two RBIs. Sophomore Katie Hurd and senior Allie Lajeunesse both went the distance in the circle. 

Catholic 13, Elizabethtown 5

Catholic quickly claimed a three-run lead off of three hits over Elizabethtown in the first two innings of play and continued to score runs during every at-bat. The Blue Jays responded in the top of the third to score two runs and cut the Cardinals' lead to just one run. A double to right-center by senior first baseman Juliet Lodes would drive in Lajeunesse for Catholic's fourth run in the bottom of the inning, marking a 4-2 score. 

Catholic's lineup would see time at the plate twice in the fourth inning with nine runs scored on seven hits to lengthen their lead to 13-2. Junior second baseman Bella Ronca started off the inning with a walk followed by a Czan single to advance her into scoring position. A perfectly-placed bunt from junior Sophie Maccarone loaded the bases, giving senior shortstop Giselle Diaz the opportunity to hit a two-run RBI.

A throwing error from the Elizabethtown (3-15, 3-15 LC) defense allowed sophomore catcher Sammy Phillips to reach first base and bring home Maccarone. Classmate pinch runner Elizabeth Dew stole second base to put another Cardinal in scoring position. Another single by Lajeunesse scored Diaz and Dew bringing the score to 9-2. 

The bases were loaded yet again after a double by Lodes and a walk drawn by senior right fielder Taylor Forgen. Classmate McKenzie Plante took one for her team and was hit by a pitch which walked in Catholic's 10th run. Ronca was then up for the second time that inning to score Lodes followed by another RBI-single from Czan. Maccarone scored Ronca with a single down the left field line for Catholic's 13th and final run. 

Despite a five-hit fifth inning from the Blue Jays, they could only produce another three runs. The game concluded in the fifth inning with Catholic leading by eight runs. Hurd faced 24 batters on the rubber, allowing five runs off 10 hits with three strikeouts recorded to improve her record to 5-1. 

Elizabethtown 1, Catholic 0

The one and only run in the second game against the Blue Jays would come at the top of the seventh inning when Elizabethtown took the lead which Catholic was unable to get in front of during their last chance at the plate. 

Czan opened up game two with a single to center field in the first inning but was not brought home by her teammates. A series of three-up-three-down innings would not allow Catholic to produce another hit until the bottom of the fifth inning with a pair of singles by Lodes and Plante who were both left on base. 

The Cardinals left another two opportunities on the basepaths in the bottom of the sixth despite another pair of singles by Czan and sophomore leftfielder Heather Berberich. The score remained 0-0 heading into the top of the seventh inning. 

With one out, senior Kaitlyn Witmer singled down the leftfield line for the Blue Jays' second hit of the game. Next up, junior Paige Phillips drove in Witmer with a double to put Elizabethtown ahead of Catholic. The Cardinals were unable to bring in a run during their last at-bat, making the final score 1-0. 

Lajeunesse took her first loss for the Cardinals to fall to 3-1. She faced 25 batters, allowing three hits and no walks. 

The Cardinals travel to Elizabethtown tomorrow for another Landmark Conference doubleheader. First pitch is at 1:00 p.m.