SCRANTON, Pa. - Led by a career-high 14 strikeouts from junior Tucker Alch, the Catholic University baseball team posted a 7-3 victory over Scranton on Sunday at Volpe Field.

With the win, the Cardinals (25-10, 11-4 LC) regained first place in the Landmark Conference standings with a one-game lead over the Royals.

Alch matched the longest outing of his career, scattering six hits and allowing just two earned runs over 8.0 innings to extend his win steak to a career-best seven starts.

Over his last six starts, Alch is 7-0 with a 2.81 ERA and 61 strikeouts over 48.1 innings. Meanwhile, Catholic has outscored its opponents, 66-23.

Offensively, senior Tommy Antonucci went 3-for-5 with a two-run double in the fourth to put the Cardinals in front, 2-1.

Catholic added a run in the fifth on an RBI-single by senior Matt Tesoriero, before freshman Lucas Malave drew a bases loaded walk to score what proved to be the game-winning run in the seventh.

Freshman Matthew Fisher had a hand in the team's final three runs with a sacrifice fly in the seventh before reaching on a fielder's choice that led to two runs in the ninth.

In addition to going 2-for-4 at the plate, Tesoriero closed the game out on the mound, retiring three of the five batters he faced, including two by strikeout.

Like Antonucci, junior Ben Nardi also went 3-for-5 as the Cardinals scored seven runs on 10 hits. 

Meanwhile, the Royals (22-7-1, 9-4 LC) totaled seven hits, including five from Corey Zientek and Tyler Kirsten who went 5-for-7 with two doubles and three RBIs. The rest of the team was 2-for-26 with 16 strikeouts.

Catholic returns home to face No. 8 Salisbury on Tuesday in a game that was rescheduled from April 20. First pitch against the defending national champions from Talbot Field is at 3:30 p.m.