Box Score
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa - It wasn't the desired result, but the Catholic University baseball team made history Friday, taking the field for the first time in the NCAA Division III World Series.
The Cardinals (34-15), making their fourth appearance in the NCAA Division III Baseball Championship, were limited to just four hits in a 7-0 loss to No. 2 and six-time national champion Marietta.
Marietta's Trent Valentine, the national leader in victories, went 8.0 innings while walking two and striking out eight to improve his record to 14-1.
Four different players registered a hit for Catholic, including junior Zach Burton who reached base twice in three at-bats, including a hit-by-pitch to lead of the fourth and a single to left in the eighth.
Graduate student Tighe Watson, junior Ben Nardi and freshman Lucas Malave also had singles for the Cardinals. Malave had the first hit in World Series history for Catholic with a two-out single to center in the top of the second.
The two teams were engaged in a pitcher's duel through the top of the third as they combined for just two hits and four baserunners. However, the Pioneers (44-5) scored three runs with two outs in the bottom of the third, taking advantage of a wild pitch, throwing error and back-to-back RBI doubles.
Marietta increased the lead to four with another RBI-double in the fourth before plating three more runs in the fifth, highlighted by a two-run triple by Trent Castle, to provide the final margin.
Senior Jack Zaffiro surrendered three runs on three hits while striking out three over 3.0 innings in his 14th start of the season while senior Nick Marini did not allow a hit over three innings of work in the sixth, seventh and eighth.
The Cardinals will face the loser between defending national champion Salisbury and No. 12 UW-Stevens Point on Saturday. First pitch is at 11 a.m. Eastern time.
