KISSIMMEE, Fla. — Inclement weather during the morning on Monday caused scheduling shifts for the Catholic softball team, but they still were able to get two games in at The Spring Games during the afternoon. The Cardinals took on Otterbein and Utica and finished the day 1-1 to move to 7-1 on the season. Otterbein struck first in the bottom of the first inning after getting runners on first and second with two away in the inning. Jen Sindledecker came up with a double to left center field to bring in Kennedi Endsley and put Otterbein up 1-0.

Sindledecker picked up her second RBI of the game two innings later, once again with two away on a base hit up the middle with two runners on to double the lead for Otterbein.

The big inning in the game came for Otterbein in the bottom of the fifth inning. Two runners got on to start the inning on a pair of errors which led to three runs coming across to score to open the lead to 5-0.
Caroline Heller picked up an RBI knock into left center field, followed by Otterbein scoring the next two runs of sac flies to cap off its scoring in the game.

Catholic's lone run came in the top of the last inning after Gabrielle Nanni pinch-ran and worked her way into scoring position with two outs in the inning. Elise Faxon cashed in with an RBI base hit into right field to bring in Nanni and make it a 5-1 game. Catholic was unable to push across another run and dropped the first game of the day by four runs.

Amanda Gomez finished the game 2-for-3 with a pair of singles to lead Catholic in hits in the contest. It was Gomez's second multi-hit game of the season. Catholic took an early lead in the bottom of the first inning by capitalizing on multiple errors from Utica. Toni Ruley was on third base with two away and Olivia Stinchcomb put a ball in play that was booted by the shortstop to bring Ruley home and put the Cardinals up 1-0.

The Pioneers answered with two runs of their own in the top of the second to go-ahead for the only time in the game 2-1. Erica Sanford came up with a two RBI base-hit with runners on second and third to give Utica a one run lead. The deficit would not last long for the Cardinals however as Amy Gastright launched a solo home run to left field for her long ball of the season to knot things back up at two.

Three walks to open up the bottom of the fourth inning set up the potential for a big inning for the Cardinals with the bases loaded and nobody out. Faxon drove in the first run on an RBI groundout, followed by a wild pitch that brought Ruley to the plate. Stinchcomb capped off the three-run inning with a knock into left field to score Sam Grillo to put Catholic up 5-2.

The Pioneers answered in the top half of the next inning with two runs to cut the deficit down to one. Brooke Beleza came in to score on a groundout and Kylie Murray smacked a two out double to bring in another run to make it a 5-4 game.

The Cardinals added a key insurance run in the bottom of the fifth after a double steal from Nanni and Aubrynn Arcement put two in scoring position for Ruley. Ruley drove a ball deep enough to center field to allow Nanni to come in to score to double the Catholic lead.

Three straight singles for Utica in the top of the seventh brought in a run and had the tying and go-ahead runs on base for the Pioneers. Alex Pley barred down and set down the next three hitters, including a strikeout, to leave the runners stranded and earn the Cardinals a 6-5 victory for their seventh win of the season.

Pley completed her first complete game of the season, tossing all seven innings, allowing just three earned runs, to move her record to 3-0 on the season. She punched out three batters during her outing.

Stinchcomb led the Catholic offense going 2-for-4 with an RBI for her second multi-hit game of the season. Gastright became the fourth Cardinal to hit a round tripper this season and is tied for the team lead in RBI with six. 

The Cardinals are back in action in Florida tomorrow with two more games as they will take on Lasell and Loras. First pitch against Lasell is slated for 4 pm.