WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Catholic University softball team dropped a Landmark Conference doubleheader to Scranton on Saturday.

The Cardinals (12-12, 5-5 LC) were unable to get on the board throughout both seven-inning contests.

Game 1: Scranton 6, Catholic 0

Catholic fell in game one, in what was a tight affair until the final inning. Junior Katie Hurd pitched her 13th complete game of the season in 15 attempts in the circle.

The game remained scoreless until the top of the third, when Scranton was able to push across two runs. Jenna Davida scored on a wild pitch before Jennifer Sweeney singled with the bases loaded to earn an RBI and put the Royals ahead 2-0. 

The Cardinals threatened throughout but could not knock in any baserunners, stranding nine.

In the bottom of the third, sophomore Hailee Weiss was stranded on third base after an error and a wild pitch. Freshman Amanda Gomez walked with two outs to put runners on the corners, but Royal shortstop Jessica Stadler made a nice play to get Hurd at first after the ball deflected off the pitcher to eliminate the Cardinal threat.

In the fourth, graduate student Allie Lajeunesse reached on an error and graduate student Makayla Czan singled through the left side to put two runners on with one out. However, a pop out and a fly out stopped the Cardinal momentum.

Scranton (19-10, 5-3 LC) added four more in the top of the seventh, highlighted by a two-run triple by Sarah Stepnowski. 

Sweeney got the win in the circle for the Royals, pushing her to 9-5 on the season, as Hurd fell to 7-6. Gomez went 2-for-3 with two singles and a walk.

Game 2: Scranton 1, Catholic 0

Sophomore Justina Benvenuto was brilliant in the circle despite the Cardinals dropping the second game. 

She pitched a complete game, allowing just one run on six hits and striking out two. She was extremely efficient, only throwing 65 total pitches, 49 of them for strikes. 

Scranton plated the sole run of the game in the top of the sixth, when Heather Alick's double to left-center field scored Davida after her lead-off single.

The Cardinals looked to respond immediately in the bottom half of the inning as junior Sammy Phillips delivered a one-out single. After freshman Toni Ruley pinch ran for Phillips, Lajeunesse and Phillips both got two bases courtesy of a throwing error. With two runners in scoring position and one out, Scranton converted a double play, as Stadler caught a hard-hit Czan line drive and shoveled to third base before Ruley could recover. 

Catholic was able to get the tying run on base in the bottom of the seventh when Weiss walked with two outs before a foul out ended the game.

Royal starting pitcher Emma Tirollo (7-3) got the victory in the circle, pitching a complete game shutout, allowing five hits and walking two. Benvenuto got the loss despite her solid performance, dropping her to 5-6 on the season. 

The first four batters in the Catholic lineup all delivered a hit, and went a combined 4-for-10 with four singles, a hit by pitch and two successful sacrifices.

The Cardinals continue their eight-game homestand on Wednesday, April 26, when they host Marymount (Va.). in a non-conference doubleheader. First pitch in game one is scheduled for 3 p.m.