WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Catholic University baseball team continued its unbeaten start to the 2023 season knocking off Salve Regina twice in a Sunday doubleheader, with the second victory coming in dramatic fashion.

GAME 1 – Catholic 6-3 Salve Regina

Dante Pozzi and Ben Nardi each homered, driving in five of the team's six runs while Tucker Alch tossed 6.0 scoreless innings in a 6-3 victory over Salve Regina in game one of Sunday afternoon's doubleheader.

Alch was dominant once again, making it 11.0 scoreless innings to start his 2023 campaign. The senior right-hander scattered six hits while striking out eight batters. After picking up a no-decision in the season-opener, Alch earned his first win of the season on Sunday.

Both teams threatened across the first five innings, but Catholic struck first in the bottom of the sixth inning. Zach Burton led off the inning with a single up the middle with Nardi following with a two-run, no-doubter to right, giving Catholic a 2-0 lead with nobody out. Lucas Malave followed with a double down the right-field line. After moving up 90 feet on a Joe Marini groundout, Mitchel Johnson brought Malave home with a sacrifice fly to deep center field, pushing the Cardinal lead to three.

That spelled the end of the day for Alch as Lucky Perrotto entered in relief for the Cardinals, retiring the first three batters he saw.

Catholic added three more in the bottom of the seventh off of Seahawk reliever Sean Mulligan. Matthew Fisher led the inning off with a single off of the third base bag. Derek Zelesnick singled up the middle to put a pair of runners on for the top of the Cardinal order and Pozzi delivered, smashing a three-run shot over the left field wall to put Catholic up 6-0.

The Seahawks chipped away in the top of the eighth, scoring three runs off of Perrotto before Brendan Martin came in to close out things out for Catholic. Kyle Platt put Salve Regina on the board with a pinch-hit solo homer before the Seahawks added two more later in the inning.

Martin entered and retired all five batters he faced, striking out two to pick up his first save of the season. Pozzi, Nardi, and Jesse Lacefield each had a pair of hits on the day for the Cardinals.

GAME 2 – Catholic 6-5 Salve Regina

Despite trailing 5-3 entering the bottom of the eighth inning, Catholic battled back to defeat the Seahawks 6-5 to sweep Sunday afternoon's doubleheader.

The Cardinals trailed by two runs with just four outs remaining in game two before a Malave moonshot brought Catholic back within one with two outs in the eighth.

In the top of the ninth, Cody Bosak allowed a pair of baserunners for Salve Regina, facing a second and third situation with two outs. Bosak proceeded to strike out Tyler Petrosino to end the half inning and give the Cardinals a chance down just a run.

Johnson started off the ninth by blasting his first collegiate home run to knot the score at 5-5. With one out, Michael Napolitano drew a walk and was replaced on the basepaths by Mark Villanueva. Villanueva swiped second and then came around to score the game's winning run as Justin McCarthy doubled to center to give Catholic its second walk-off win of the young season.

Malave put the Cardinals on the scoreboard in the first inning, singling to right to score Nardi who had swiped second after reaching on a two-out single. The Cards were held scoreless until Napolitano hit his first career homer in the bottom of the fifth inning, scoring Lacefield and putting Catholic up 3-2 at the time.

Danny Fitzgerald started on the mound for Catholic, allowing one run on four hits in 4.0 innings. Bosak pitched 2.2 scoreless frames, striking out three to earn the win.

Catholic returns to action on Wednesday at Talbot Field, hosting St. Mary's at 2:30 p.m.