FREDERICKSBURG, Va. - The Catholic University softball team completed a successful sweep of Mary Washington on Wednesday afternoon. Both games were decided by one run, with the Cardinals pulling off a massive comeback in the first and fighting hold on to an early lead in the second.
Game 1 - Catholic 6, Mary Washington 5
Catholic overcame an early 5-1 deficit to pick up a 6-5 non-conference road victory in game one at Mary Washington on Wednesday afternoon.
Sophia Fike and
Amy Gastright recorded multi-hit games for the Cardinals while
Mia Szap drove in a pair of runs to lead Catholic to victory.
Sophia Maccarone's program wasted no time getting on the board in the top of the first inning as Fike opened the game with her fifth triple of the season. Szap laid down a bunt and executed a successful squeeze play to push the Cardinals ahead 1-0.
Bridget Laychak tied the game for Mary Washington with an RBI single in the bottom of the first inning before the Eagles went on to score four runs in the bottom of the second to take a 5-1 edge.
Catholic starter
Aubrynn Arcement settled down after the second inning, scattering five hits while allowing no runs over the final five innings of action.
The Cardinals scrapped back to tie the game at 5-5 in the top of the third inning.
Caroline Adams picked up a one-out single to left to start things for the Cardinals. Fike singled to put runners on first and third before Szap picked up her second RBI of the game with a base hit to left, scoring Adams. Mary Washington second baseman Shelby Presgrave made an error on the play, allowing Fike to also come around to score. Now trailing 5-3,
Katie Scolese made it a one-run game as Szap scored while the sophomore reached on an error by shortstop Aminah Shakir. Gastright doubled to move Scolese around to third before
Alex Garza tied the contest with an RBI single to left.
Szap drew a leadoff walk in the top of the fifth, but was thrown out trying to steal second for the first out of the frame. Scolese singled to center, moving to third with another Gastright double. Brooklynne James unleashed a wild pitch, scoring Scolese to put the Cardinals ahead 6-5. James worked out of the jam, but one run was all Arcement needed to close out the win.
Despite the early struggles, Arcement completed her eighth game of the season and picked up her eighth win of the campaign. Fike's triple makes her just the fourth player in Catholic softball history to record five or more triples in a single season. The current record is seven, set by Megan Rizzi in 2010.
Gastright continues to rake, hitting .395 in 15 games this season with five doubles and a home run. Her slugging percentage of .581 leaves her behind only Scolese and Fike in 2024.
Game 2 - Catholic 2, Mary Washington 1
The Cardinals were victorious in game two thanks to 10 hits and two RBIs on the offensive side while only allowing three hits and committing no errors on the defensive side.
Four Cardinals had a multi-hit game including Garza who scored the first run of the game off an
Amanda Gomez single up the middle. She led off the second inning with a single through the left side and advanced to second on a Hatcliffe ground out. Gomez came to the plate with two outs and punched the ball deep enough to allow Garza time to run home.
The top of the third played out similarly with Szap reaching on a leadoff single up the middle. Scolese was beat out by the throw from third to first after slapping a chopper down the line, but Szap was able to advance. Garza came to the plate with two outs this time and sent one to right field to score Szap.
Szap went 2-4 in the contest with one run scored. Gastright joined the two-hit group with two singles. She now has a nine game hit streak and seven games with two or more.
Toni Ruley also had two hits in the contest with doubles in the fourth and sixth inning.
The Eagles saw one run cross the plate in the sixth, but it was not enough to overcome the deficit. Shakir drew a walked to start the inning and Laychak came up big again with an RBI double to left. The sole run allowed Catholic to take the lead into a scoreless seventh and walk away with win number two on the day.
Justina Benvenuto got the start in the circle for Catholic in game two, pitching 5.0 innings while allowing three hits and one run.
Olivia Stinchcomb pitched the final 2.0 innings, holding Mary Washington scoreless and recording her second save of the season. She struck out two batters in relief.
The Cardinals will return to Landmark Conference action on Saturday, April 13 with a Senior Day doubleheader against Wilkes. The home contest will begin at 1 p.m.
