FREDERICK, Md.  — The Catholic softball team started off the 2025 regular season with a short road trip to take on Hood in a doubleheader. The Cardinals pitchers were solid in both contests and the bats came alive in game two to help the team complete a 2-0 sweep over the Blazers, the first sweep over Hood since 2019.

GAME ONE
Score: Catholic- 2, Hood- 1
Records: Catholic (1-0), Hood (0-1)
Pitching Decision: W: Aubrynn Arcement (1-0), L: Rebecca Gottleib (0-1)
The Short Story: Arcement started the season off with a gem in the circle tossing a complete game, allowing just one run, helped by two key hits from Katie Scolese, to guide the Cardinals to a victory in the opening game of the season.

How It Happened

• After a scoreless first inning, Scolese picked up the first hit of the season, roping a double to left field to get into scoring position to lead off the inning. She went on to steal third base to be 60 feet away from scoring. With two outs in the inning, Elise Faxon cashed in with a double down the right field line to plate Scolese and put Catholic on top 1-0.
• Scolese continued her hot start in her next at-bat in the top of the fourth inning with a lead-off bomb to center field to double the Cardinals lead to 2-0. Kerri Hatcliffe and Toni Ruley also picked up singles in the inning but were left stranded.
• Arcement faced the minimum number of hitters through four innings, including inducing two double plays. She faced her first jam in the bottom of the fifth inning with two runners on and one out, but she barred down and forced and ground out and strike out to retire the side.
• Hood pushed across its only run of the game in the bottom of the sixth after a single and an error plated Sam Larkin to cut the deficit in half. The Blazers threatened to tie the game after Arcement retired the first two batters in the bottom of the seventh. A walk and a dropped third strike put two runners on for Lizzie McConnell but Acrement induced a ground out right back to her to close out a 2-1 win.

GAME TWO
Score: Catholic- 10, Hood- 1
Records: Catholic (2-0), Hood (0-2)
Pitching Decision: W: Sophia Colangelo (1-0), L: Sam Waters (0-1)
The Short Story: An early offensive outburst for the Cardinals gave them an early lead that they continued to build on throughout the game while Sophia Coangelo was sharp in her collegiate debut to close out a dominant 10-1 win in six innings.

How It Happened

• The Cardinals were able to manufacture a couple of runs in the top of the first inning after Amanda Gomez and Sam Grillo started off the games with back-to-back singles and both moved into scoring position on a wild pitch. Faxon and Amy Gastright both followed up with RBI ground outs to Catholic a 2-0 lead after one.
• Catholic once again strung hits together to open up the second inning with singles from Olivia Stinchcomb and Hatcliffe. With the bases loaded and one away Gomez lifted a fly ball deep enough into left field to bring in another run, followed by a costly two run error by the Blazers that allowed two more runs to come in for the Cardinals and open up a 5-0 lead early.
• The lead continued to build for the Cardinals in the fourth inning after Katie McHugh launched a two-run homer to push the lead out to seven. McHugh's long ball was the first hit in her collegiate career.
• Colangelo was lights out her first time through the order, setting down nine straight Hood hitters after allowing a walk to the first batter of the game. The only hit she allowed in her start was a solo homer to lead off the bottom of the fourth, which was the only run that the Blazers could muster.
• The final exclamation point came for the Catholic offense in the sixth inning when Grillo stepped up to the plate with the bases loaded. Grill smacked a double into deep center field to bring all three runners home and extend the Cardinals lead to nine. Hood was unable to muster up any offense to force a seventh inning and Catholic closed out a nine run victory in game two.

Inside the Box Score

• Five Catholic hitters finished the day with multiple hits over the two games with Hatcliffe leading the way going 4-for-6 and scoring a pair of runs.
• Scolese's home run was the ninth of her career after leading the team in that category last season with four. 
• Over the two games, Arcement and Colangelo surrendered just six hits and two runs combined while striking out a combined eight batters.

Of Note

• Not only is it the Cardinals first sweep over the Blazers since 2019, but it is the first time Catholic has swept Hood on the road since 2012. Catholic is now 12-6 dating back to 2012 against Hood.

The Cardinals return to action this Saturday, March 1 for a doubleheader against Ursinus. First pitch for game one is slated for 1 pm at the Nationals Youth Baseball Academy.