Box Score MADISON, N.J. — The Catholic University baseball team's bats remained lively as they completed a sweep of Drew on Monday to remain undefeated in Landmark Conference play.
Every Catholic starter registered a hit and seven of the nine came through with multi-hit games as the Cardinals hung 11 runs on the Rangers less than 24 hours after hitting them for 25 in game two of the series yesterday.
Ross Natoli's team got things going in the second inning when Catholic led off the frame with four-straight hits. Freshman Michael Napolitano drove in Lucas Malave, who led off the inning with a single. Matthew Fisher then singled to score Zach Burton, putting the Cardinals up 2-0.
Catholic continued to hit Ranger starter Kenny Yonker well in the fourth inning. Again it was Malave led off the stanza with a hit, this time cashing in with a double. After stealing third, Fisher came up with the goods again, driving in the sophomore outfielder.
Ben Nardi continued to stay hot, blasting a two-run shot center field in the fifth inning to extend the Cardinal lead to 5-0. The bomb marked Nardi's seventh of the season and extended his program record to 23 career home runs.
The Rangers began to mount a comeback effort, getting two back in the bottom of the fifth and adding one more in the sixth courtesy of a solo home run that cut the Cardinal lead to just 5-3.
Catholic slammed the door in the eighth, however, by putting up a five spot. Dante Pozzi, Mitchel Johnson, Nardi and Napolantonio all registered RBIs in the inning.
Danny Fitzgerald started on the mound for Catholic, earning the win. The junior scattered eight hits over 6.2 innings and only allowed one earned run. Relievers Cormac Terry and Skylar McLean combined to finish the job for the Cardinals.
Napolitano, making just his second career start at third base, went 3-for-4 with a walk and three RBIs. Nardi accounted for three hits, four RBIs and two runs scored.
With the victory, No. 13 Catholic now sits at 18-3 on the season and 6-0 in conference play. Catholic has now won eight of its last nine games and is averaging over 11 runs per game during that span.
The team will now come home to host St. Mary's (Md.) for a midweek affair. The Cardinals will play their second-ever game under the light at Talbot Field on Wednesday with first pitch scheduled for 6 p.m.
