MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. - The bats came out today as the Catholic University baseball team hit its way to a third-straight victory at the Ripken Experience.

The Cardinals plated nine runs in the first three innings and never looked back, knocking off Penn College, 14-6, on Thursday afternoon. 

Catholic (7-5) picked up where it left off yesterday, hitting home runs. Freshman Dante Pozzi wasted no time, leading off by taking the fourth pitch of the game over the left field fench. Junior Zach Burton walked before junior Ben Nardi blasted his first home run of the season to extend the Cardinal lead to 3-0 before Penn College (6-4) could register an out. 

After the Wildcats hit back for two in the bottom of the first, Catholic responded through freshman Lucas Malave. The right fielder brought in two with his line-drive single to center field, extending the Cardinal lead to 5-2. Malave went 3-for-5 on the day with three singles, driving in a team-high three runs. 

After a clean bottom of the second by starting pitcher Jesse Lacefield, Catholic added four more in the top of the third. Senior Matt Tesoriero scored on a balk before Pozzi grabbed another RBI, driving in graduate student Michael Doody with a sacrifice fly. 

Graduate Student Tighe Watson then stole home, one of Watson's game-high three steals. Catholic, as a team, stole a season-high 11 bases. 

Malave pushed across the fourth run of the inning, driving in Burton on a single to left field. The Wildcats grabbed two in the bottom of the inning to pull closer at 9-4.

After the two runs scored, freshman Lucky Perrotto entered the game in relief of Lacefield. In his fourth appearance of the season, Perrotto put together a gem on the mound, pitching 4.2 innings and allowing no run, no hits and no walks while striking out six. 

Catholic added four more in the top of the sixth. With the bases juiced and one out, Watson singled to score Malave. Then a walk, a balk and a hit batsman plated three more, pushing the lead to 13-4.

After Perrotto exited the game, the Wildcats would get one run in both the eighth and the ninth, off of freshman Danny Prior and sophomore Camden Mounts respectively. Prior pitched the eighth while Mounts finished out the game in the ninth. 

Junior Nick Koehn drove in his first run of the season with a sacrifice fly in the top of the ninth. 

Watson was a menace on offense, going 2-for-3 at the plate with two singles, two walks, one RBI, three runs scored and three stolen bases. Burton walked during three of his four at-bats, scoring three total runs, and claiming an RBI for his bases-loaded walk in the sixth inning. 

Perrotto earned his second win of the season, throwing 38 strikes on 58 total pitches. The freshman has now pitched 9.2 innings on the season, allowing no runs, just two hits and only one walk, having struck out 10.

Catholic has now won five of its last six games. The Cardinals will now enjoy a day off before concluding their time in Myrtle Beach with a same-day doubleheader against Ursinus. The first game will begin at noon.