WASHINGTON, D.C. - The Catholic University baseball team dropped both games of its doubleheader on Sunday at Talbot Field, 19-18 and 5-0 in a shortened nightcap.

Graduate student Billy Duke led the Cardinals' comeback charge in the first game while sophomore Danny Fitzgerald was impressive on the mound in the second game.

Game 1: Montclair State 19, Catholic 18

Catholic saw its comeback effort fall just short in a game that featured 37 combined runs and lasted almost five hours.

Duke entered the game as a pinch hitter in the bottom of the fifth inning, blasting a two-run, game-tying, home run over the right field fence. He remained in the game, homering again to right in the eighth and blasting a triple to deep right center in the ninth. He went 3-for-4 with a team-best five RBIs and scored three runs. 

The Cardinals claimed an early lead in the bottom of the first inning, taking advantage of two Red Hawk errors. However, Montclair State got two in the third and five in the fourth to take a 7-4 lead.

The first five Red Hawk runs came off of sophomore Camden Mounts. The left-handed starter threw 3.0 innings, striking out six while only allowing just two hits. However, control was a bit of an issue, as he walked three and hit three batters.

Trailing 15-8 midway through the seventh, Catholic came close in the bottom of the eighth when it plated five runs and were looking for more. With one out and the bases loaded, the Cardinals thought they had tied the game.

Freshman Dante Pozzi hit a ground ball to shortstop who flipped it to second base for the force out. In an attempt to turn a double play, the throw to first base was wild and went to the fence, allowing junior Ben Nardi to score from second. However, the umpires ruled that freshman Tommy DiGiorgio slid illegally to break up the double play, thus ending the inning and negating both runs that would have scored on the play.

Instead of the game being tied at 19, Catholic entered the ninth down, 19-17.

Sophomore Cormac Terry held the Red Hawks in the top of ninth, striking out the side and only allowing a base runner on a fielding error. 

Duke's triple with one out got the tying run to the plate in the form of graduate student Tyler Shaffer. Duke then scored on a balk by Red Hawk closer Matt Pontari who then struck out Shaffer and graduate student Tighe Watson to end the game and earn his first save of the season.

Montclair State relied heavily on the long ball, belting five home runs, including to from designated hitter Peter Cosentino.

Nardi had a strong day at the plate, going 3-for-4 with two singles, one double, two walks, two RBIs and one run scored. Watson scored three runs and earned an RBI as one of his two walks came with the bases loaded.

Sophomore reliever Chance Legere suffered the loss while Montclair State's Jack Haveson earned the win after pitching 2.1 innings and striking out six.

Game 2: Montclair State 5, Catholic 0

The Cardinals struggled to find their bats in the second game, mustering only two hits.

Red Hawk starter Jacob Dembin pitched all five innings in the contest that was ultimately shortened by darkness, striking out six and walking only one. 

Fitzgerald was a bright spot for the Cardinals, striking out three and allowing just one hit in 1.2 innings of relief.

Senior Matt Tesoriero led off the game with a single and freshman Matthew Fisher doubled in the fifth.

Senior Jack Zaffiro was charged with his second loss of the season while Dembin earned the win for the Red Hawks (5-1).

The Cardinals begin an eight-game road trip that will span the next two weeks, beginning on Wednesday when they travel to St. Mary's (Md.).