WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Catholic University baseball team dropped its first game of the season on Saturday afternoon.

It was not the Cardinals' day as Skidmore got out to an early lead and led the game nearly wire-to-wire.

After Danny Fitzgerald began the game by hitting the Skidmore lead-off batter with a pitch, the Thoroughbreds were off and running in the opening frame. They were able to plate two runs courtesy of a Max Mello single and a Catholic error.

The Cardinals responded in the bottom of the second when designated hitter Mitchel Johnson smashed a lead-off double off of the wall in deep center field. After Joe Marini moved him over with a groundout, Matthew Fisher knocked him in to half the Thoroughbred lead. Shane Newsome singled before Derek Zelesnick provided Catholic's third-straight hit to push Fisher across and knot the game at two.

Catholic was not level for long, however, as Skidmore put up three in the next half inning. The Thoroughbreds were able to string together four-straight base knocks to retake the lead.

Although the Cardinals were able to push one across in the bottom of the third on a Skidmore error, Thoroughbred starting pitcher Ameer Hasan did well to shut down Catholic after that. He went 5.2 innings, threw 99 pitches and closed strongly, not allowing another run after the third inning.

Skidmore added two runs off of Cardinal reliever Cormac Terry in the sixth inning before getting to freshman Jake Kenney for one in the eighth and one in the ninth. Catholic's reliveres pitched well overall as Kenney was especially effective, striking out three batters and only allowing one earned run in 3.1 innings of work.

Fisher accounted for the last two Cardinal runs when he blasted a two-run triple to center field in the bottom of the eighth inning.

Johnson and Fisher had especially strong days at the plate. Johnson went 2-for-3 with two doubles, a walk and two runs scored while Fisher produced a three-hit day and drove in three Cardinals while scoring one run himself.

Ross Natoli's men will look to respond tomorrow when they host Skidmore for two seven-innings affairs. First pitch in the opening contest is scheduled for 11 a.m.