SCRANTON, Pa.  —  The Catholic baseball team went on the road Monday afternoon to take on Scranton with a chance to take the regular season series over the Royals with a win. The Royals were able to come up with seven runs over their last three trips to the plate to knock off the Cardinals 8-4 to capture the series.

The Cardinals scratched across a run in the top of the first inning to grab an early advantage. Steve Thomas led the game off on a single into left field and advanced up to third base two batters later on Mitchel Johnson's double that put two in scoring position. Dante Pozzi drove in Thomas on a sacrifice fly into right field to get Catholic on the board.

Catholic was able to double the lead in the top of the third after Pozzi and Zach Burton each reached base to start the inning off. Matthew Fisher dropped down a sacrifice bunt to move both of the runners up 90 feet and Jack Elwell lifted a fly ball into left field to bring Pozzi home and make it a 2-0 lead. Scranton scored its first run off of Sam Fairhurst in the bottom of the inning on an RBI base-hit by Matthew Querey to pull back within a run.

Pozzi and Burton worked their way on base on a single and walk respectively to give the Cardinals a chance to add on insurance runs in the top of the sixth. Fisher once again dropped down a sacrifice bunt to move up both the runners and Elwell came up with his second RBI of the game on a ground out to extend the lead to two. Jack Bateman followed up with a two-out double into right field to bring Burton in to score to put Catholic on top 4-1.

The Royals clawed back and answered the two runs scored by Catholic in the bottom of the sixth as Connor Campbell scored on a wild pitch for the first run of the inning. Querey added another RBI to his total with a sacrifice fly into center field to bring John Heitzman to the plate to pull Scranton back within a run. The Royals brought in the tying run the very next inning on another sacrifice fly, this time from Jake Elston, to make things all square at four. 

Scranton captured the lead for the first time in the bottom of the eighth inning, bringing four runs to the plate on four hits to take an 8-4 lead. Catholic went down in order in the top of the ninth and fell by four runs to drop to 17-16 on the season.

The Cardinals will resume Landmark play on Saturday, April 26 for a doubleheader with Lycoming on the road. First pitch for the first game is set for 12 pm.