SCRANTON, Pa. - Catholic baseball split Saturday's doubleheader with the University of Scranton setting up a rubber match on Monday afternoon in D.C. The Cardinals took game one by a final score of 12-2 before falling 10-5 in the second game. 

GAME 1 - Catholic 12, Scranton 2

Holding a 3-2 lead through five innings, Catholic used a five-run sixth to break open the game before earning a 12-2 victory over Scranton on Saturday. 

Steve Thomas, Mitchel Johnson, and Jesse Lacefield combined for nine hits, six runs, and six RBI to lead the offensive effort while Roman Tozzi continued to impress, earning his fourth victory of the season while striking out nine in 6.0 innings. 

Scranton needed three pitchers to get through a lengthy top of the sixth inning as Catholic pushed five runs across the board to grow its lead to 8-2. Royals' starter Hunter Ralston gave up a single to Lacefield and an RBI triple to Jack Elwell before his day came to a close after 5.0-plus. 

Dominic Chieffalo entered the contest and issued a walk to Matt Perlin before Thomas drove in Elwell with an RBI single to right. Thomas swiped second and scored alongside Perlin as Zach Burton doubled into the left-center gap to make it 7-2. Later in the inning, Burton scored after advancing to third on an error and then moving up 90 more feet as Chieffalo was called for a balk. The Cardinals filled up the bases, but Mike Fox entered the game to work out of the jam for Scranton. 

Catholic would go on to add four more runs in the ninth to put the cap on the 12-2 victory. Elwell scored on a passed ball before Thomas added another RBI single to make it 10-2. Johnson hit a two-run triple to finish off the scoring. 

In the early going of the contest, Johnson drove in Thomas with an RBI ground out after a leadoff triple by Thomas in the first inning. Lacefield caught hold of one in the second and put Catholic ahead 2-0 with a solo shot. After Scranton tied the contest at 2-2, Logan Eilbacher drove in Thomas in the third with an RBI single to give Catholic the lead. 

After allowing two runs in six frames, Tozzi gave way to Sam Fairhurst who picked up a save with 3.0 scoreless innings. Tozzi has compiled a 2.13 ERA in 25.1 innings while striking out 35. Fairhurst lowers his ERA to 2.81 in 16.0 innings. 

Johnson pushes his season average over .300 with his third multi-hit game in his last five and his second three-hit game of the season. His 20 RBI are the most on the team It's the eighth multi-hit game of the campaign for Thomas and his second three-hit game as well as he raises his average to .361. Lacefield takes the team lead with four home runs and raises his average 35 points to .276 after his first three-hit game of the year.

GAME 2 - Scranton 10, Catholic 5

Catholic tallied seven extra-base hits, including a pair of solo home runs, but Catholic ultimately dropped game two 10-5. 

Burton wasted.no time putting Catholic on the scoreboard as he blasted a solo shot to left to put the Cardinals ahead 1-0. However, Scranton scored five unanswered to take a 5-1 lead into the fifth inning, forcing both Danny Prior and Cormac Terry from the game. 

Thomas put Catholic back on the board in the top of the fifth, slugging a solo homer of his own to center field, bringing Catholic within three. Trailing 6-2 in the seventh, once again it was Thomas coming through with an RBI double to score Perlin, making it 6-3. Eilbacher added another RBI, scoring Thomas with a double down the left field line. 

The Royals would score the next four runs, grabbing a 10-4 lead before Liam Walsh drove in Burton with an RBI double in the ninth. 

Thomas made it nine multi-hit games as he hit his sixth double and second home run of the season while raising his average to a team-best .364. Burton's home run tied him with Lacefield for the team lead while extending his hitting streak to eight games. 

Luke Cardman was Catholic's most effective pitcher in game two, pitching 2.1 innings, allowing an unearned run, and striking out two batters. 
The Cardinals and Royals are set to complete the three-game series on Monday afternoon at 2 p.m.