WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. — The Catholic baseball team entered the second to last week of the regular season trying to string wins together against Lycoming to improve its standing in the Landmark Conference. The Cardinals offense was solid throughout both games of the doubleheader, scoring 10 runs in each, to pick up a two-game sweep of the Warriors to improve to 19-16 on the season.
Dante Pozzi stepped up with a runner on third and two outs in the top of the first inning. Pozzi started off the scoring by poking a single into left field to bring Steve Thomas home to put Catholic on top 1-0. The Cardinals scratched across another run in the top of the third when Thomas and Joe Marini ripped back-to-back doubles to start the inning off to double the Catholic lead.

After a run from the Warriors in the bottom of the fourth, Mitchel Johnson drew a walk in the top of the fifth to set up Pozzi, who launched a two-run homer to left field on the ninth pitch of the at-bat to push the lead up to 4-1 for the Cardinals. 

Lycoming cut the deficit down to one with two runs in the bottom of the sixth inning, but Catholic was able to answer with three runs in the top of the seventh to extend its lead to four. Pozzi continued his hot day at the plate to bring in the first run of the inning with another RBI single to left field once again. After Pozzi advanced to second on a wild pitch, Sammy Burman roped a triple to left center field to bring him to the plate. Zach Burton tacked on the final run of the inning right behind Burman with a RBI base-hit back up the middle to plate Burman to make it a 7-3 game.

The Cardinals continued to add on runs in the top of the eighth inning as Justin McCarthy and Marini both singled to put runners at the corners for Johnson. Johnson had the final big swing of the day, lifting a three-run homer to left field to put Catholic on top 10-4.

Jake Kenney pitched the final three innings of the game for the Cardinals and allowed just one run off two hits with three strikeouts to earn his third save of the season and wrap up a six-run win in game one. Roman Tozzi earned his fourth win of the season, tossing six innings, allowing three runs and punching out four.
 
The bulk of the offense in the game came for Catholic in the top of the first inning as they brought in eight runs on seven hits to open the contest up with a bang. Thomas started off the game with a double down the left field line and later on Pozzi and Burman roped back-to-back doubles to bring Thomas and Johnson to the plate to start the scoring. Jack Elwell and Jack Bateman each picked up RBI base-hits in consecutive at-bats to put the Cardinals up by five. Thomas had one more big swing in the inning when he blasted a three-run homer to left field to cap off the eight run top of the first for Catholic on his third homer of the season. 

The Warriors scored a run in each of the first two innings, but Catholic kept the lead comfortable by scoring two more runs in the top of the third. Thomas was hit by a pitch to get a runner on with two outs and Marini's double down the right field line put two in scoring position for Johnson. Johnson came through with a two-RBI single into center field to score both runners and put the Cardinals on top 10-2. 

Cody Bosak turned in a solid start working with the big lead, hurling a season-high seven innings while allowing just three earned runs and a pair of strikeouts to keep the lead intact. 

Mac Meara came in out of the pen and locked things down for Catholic as he tossed two scoreless innings while only allowing one baserunner and picking up two strikeouts. The Warriors were unable to erase the early deficit and the Cardinals captured a sweep with another 10-4 win to get back to .500 in the Landmark at 10-10.

Inside the Box Score

• Johnson's home run got him to double-digit homers on the season with 10, making him just the fourth player in program history to hit 10 or more homers in a season. His homer also brought his career total to 25 and he is just the third player in program history to reach that mark. 
• Pozzi continues to be a RBI machine against Landmark opponents as he drove in five more over the two games and now has 29 in conference games which leads the Landmark. He currently leads the team with 37 which is a new single-season career high for himself.
• Burman continues to be a consistent force in the lineup for the Cardinals, leading the team with a .374 batting average (46-for-123) which ranks eighth in the conference. Burman finished the day 4-for-8 with two extra-base hits and three RBI. 

The Cardinals wrap up the regular season series with the Warriors tomorrow, April 27. First pitch is slated for 12 pm.