WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Catholic University softball team gathered a pair of victories in its home opening series, sweeping a doubleheader over Washington College on Saturday afternoon.

The Cardinals (8-4, 1-1 LC) came from behind in both games, registering 25 hits and plating 16 runs over the course of the two games.

Game 1: Catholic 8, Washington College 2

The Cardinals used a massive inning to push past the Shorewomen, scoring all eight runs in the bottom of the fifth. Graduate student Makayla Czan secured three RBIs when she cleared the bases with a double to left center field.

Junior starting pitcher Katie Hurd pitched a complete game and struck out three en route to her fifth win of the season.

Washington College (5-8) took the lead in the third, when Shorewomen starting pitcher Lexi Barnhart helped her own cause with a two-out, RBI single. The bases were loaded with one out, when sophomore Sophia Fike received a ground ball and cut down the run at home plate. Barnhart then singled before Hurd got out of the inning with a strikeout, limiting the damage to just one run. 

The Shorewomen went up 2-0 in the next inning, after a lead-off double and a two-out RBI single through the right side of the infield.

Hurd pitched her first one, two, three inning in the top of the fifth, and the Cardinals carried that momentum into the batter's box immediately in the bottom half.

The Catholic rally began when two singles and a walk loaded the bases. Graduate student Allie Lajeunesse singled up the middle to drive in two runs and tie the game. Hurd then doubled to center field, scoring junior Heather Berberich who had entered the game earlier in the inning to pinch run. Junior Sarah Spaeth followed with a single to plate two more, and after Catholic loaded the bases again, Czan cleared them with her double to bust the game wide open. All eight runs were scored with two outs. 

After working out of trouble multiple times in the early going, Hurd did not allow a hit after the fourth inning. She settled in well, only throwing 93 pitches.

Spaeth provided two great defensive plays at third base, including a diving stop and throw to first to end the fourth inning and strand two runners on base.

Each Catholic starter had at least one hit in the game. Hurd and Lajeunesse led the way with two hits each, while sophomore Caroline Adams also recorded two hits and scored two runs. 

Despite pitching well outside of the fifth inning, Barnhart suffered the loss, dropping her to 2-5 on the year.

Game 2: Catholic 8, Washington College 1

Again, every Catholic starter registered a hit as the Cardinals plated eight runs to sweep the doubleheader.

The Cardinals fell behind early, when Shorewomen clean-up hitter Lilly Cook tripled to right center with two outs, scoring Alyssa Vieira to put Washington College up 1-0 before Catholic even had the opportunity to bat. Sophomore starting pitcher Justina Benvenuto would not allow another run, pitching 6.0 innings, allowing six hits and not walking a batter. 

Catholic responded in the third, when Czan led off with a double. A Fike double plated Czan before junior Sammy Phillips singled to score Fike and give the Cardinals a 2-1 lead that they would never relinquish.

Four more Cardinals runs came across in the fourth, all coming with two outs. Freshman Amanda Gomez singled through the right side to score Berberich, before sophomore Hailee Weiss scored on a passed ball. Fike then secured her second RBI of the game, pushing Gomez across with a single. Phillips followed with a double to left center to score Fike and claim a second RBI for herself as well. 

Catholic would add two more unearned runs in the sixth, scoring on a throwing error and another passed ball. 

Weiss played well at second base, registering three assists and recording three putouts in a solid performance. Fike went a perfect 3-for-3, with two doubles, a single, a walk, two RBIs, three runs scored and a stolen base. 

Benvenuto (3-2) secured the victory in the circle, as Shorewomen starting pitcher Gen Kozub took the loss (3-3). Lajeunesse came in to pitch the seventh and produced a three up, three down inning. 

The Cardinals return to action tomorrow, when they host a doubleheader against York (Pa.). First pitch is set for 1 p.m.