CLERMONT, Fla. — The Catholic University softball team concluded its time in Florida with a doubleheader split, falling to a top-10 team in Case Western Reserve before defeating Marywood to finish the trip. Katie Scolese had a massive day at the plate, driving in five of Catholic's six total runs.

Game One — Case Western Reserve 11-3 Catholic (5 innings)

The Cardinals hopped on the Spartans early, plating a run before No. 8 CWRU even stepped into the batter's box. 

Sophia Fike led off the game with a walk before head coach Sophie Maccarone elected to advance her with a bunt. After the successful sacrifice, Fike advanced to third on a wild pitch before Scolese drove her in with a single to remain hot at the plate. 

After a clean inning in the first, the Spartan high-powered offense was able to get to Aubrynn Arcement for three runs in the second inning. Unfortunately for Arcement, CWRU was aided by two errors in the inning, making all three runs unearned.

Catholic fought back in the third inning as the top of the order again did the business for Maccarone's team. Fike led off the inning with a double before Mia Szap reached on a fielder's choice as Case Western Reserve did not record an out on the play. After Szap stole second to place two runners in scoring position, Scolese again came through with a two-RBI double.

The Spartan bats then came for two in the third, two in the fourth and four in the fifth to end the game early courtesy of a run rule. Every Spartan hitter accounted for at least one run as Karen Potts registered three hits.

Game Two: Catholic 3-2 Marywood

Catholic's streak of scoring in the first inning was snapped at five games as it was Marywood who got on the board first, taking a 1-0 lead courtesy of another Cardinal error.

Neither team scored again until Fike registered her third run of the day to equalize in the top of the third inning when the freshman Szap came through with a clutch single. 

The Pacers hit back immediately, retaking the lead in the bottom half of the third inning. Lauryn Notar pushed a fly ball into left field to secure a sacrifice fly and put the only earned run of the day on Olivia Stinchcomb's statline. The sophomore worked the opening three innings, her longest outing of the season as she continues to work back from an injury. 

Scolese led off the next half inning in style, taking the third pitch of the at-bat over the left-field wall to tie the game at two. 

Justina Benvenuto relieved Stinchcomb to begin the home half of the fourth inning and did brilliant to shut down the Pacers. Benvenuto did not allow a hit, producing three near-perfect innings with her only blemish being one hit batter. 

She set the stage for Scolese to again deliver in the clutch, this time in the sixth. With two outs and the count full, the sophomore smashed another homer to left to give the Cardinals their first lead of the contest.

Maccorone then entered Alexa Wienclaw to pitch the seventh, and the senior made no mistake, sending the Pacers down one-two-three to secure the Cardinal win and pick up her first save of the season.

Benvenuto earned her first win of the campaign in the circle while Scolese went a combined 4-for-6 with two doubles, two home runs, and five RBIs. The impressive sophomore hit for 12 bases on the day and now sits at three home runs on the year, just one shy of her total last year.

The split today means that the Cardinals produced a 6-4 record over the duration of their time in Florida and now sit at 8-6 overall. 

The squad will now enjoy eight-straight games at home, beginning with a doubleheader against Washington College on Wednesday before conference play begins on Saturday with Susquehanna. First pitch against the Shorewomen is set for 3 p.m.