Frederick, Md. — The Catholic University softball team opened its season on Tuesday when it traveled to take on Hood College in a same-day doubleheader. However, after the Cardinals dropped the first game in extra innings, there was not enough time for the second game to become official.

Catholic got off to a great start when graduate student Makayla Czan doubled to lead off the game. She advanced to third on a groundout and eventually scored on junior Sammy Phillips' single, giving Catholic a 1-0 lead after just one half inning.

Junior Katie Hurd started on the mound for the Cardinals, and would ultimately go on to pitch the entire game. Hurd started strong, allowing no hits and only one Hood baserunner in her first two innings of work.

Catholic nearly added to its lead in the top of the third. Sophomore Caroline Adams singled to lead off the inning and eventually advanced to third when sophomore Sophia Fike doubled with two outs. After Phillips walked to load the bases, Hood starting pitcher Rebecca Gottleib produced a clutch strikeout to get her out of the jam. 

The Blazers built on that momentum, plating three in the bottom of the inning to take their first lead of the game. 

The Cardinals responded with three of their own in the top of the fifth, courtesy of junior Sarah Spaeth's RBI double and graduate student Allie Lajeunesse's two-run single, pushing Catholic back into the lead at 4-3.

Hood mounted a charge in their last half inning. Gottleib, representing the tying run, led off the inning with a single. After advancing on a groundout and a single, she scored to tie the game when Sammy McIntosh hit a sacrifice fly to center field.

Hurd was able to get the final out and force extras. After neither team scored in the eighth, Catholic was able to plate one in the ninth, when Phillips drove in Czan. 

However, Hood would ultimately get the last laugh as they took advantage of a Catholic error that advanced the tying run to third and allowed the winning run to reach base with no outs. After a Hood pinch runner stole second base, a sacrifice fly allowed the Blazers to tie the game and a walk-off single gave them a 6-5 win in the ninth inning

Adams, batting as the designated player, went 3-for-4 with three singles and stole two bases.

Hurd pitched a complete game for the Cardinals, throwing 8.1 innings and 121 pitches, 81 for strikes. She is handed the loss while Gottleib, who also pitched the entire game for Hood, gets credited with the win. 

Catholic (0-1) and Hood (1-2) began play in the second game of the doubleheader, but it was ultimately called for darkness after only playing four innings. Teams must play five innings in order for the game to be considered official.

The Cardinals now turn their attention to The Spring Games, as they head to Florida to play 12 games. Catholic's first game of the tournament is on Sunday, March 6, when it face Alvernia in Leesburg, Florida. First pitch is scheduled for 3:15 p.m.