WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Catholic softball team opened its season on the brand new turf field with a sweep over Ursinus. 
Pitcher Aubrynn Arcement earned the opening day start and proved why in the first inning, producing three ground outs. In the bottom of the first, Sam Grillo led off with a double, but was stranded. The Cardinals broke through in the second inning when Kerri Hatcliffe doubled through the right side, allowing Elise Faxon to score the first run of the 2026 season. 

The Cardinals did not cross the plate again until the fifth inning. Katie McHugh knocked a ball through the left side to spark the Catholic offense. Hayden Hudson singled, allowing McHugh to advance. With pressure on the Bears, a ball out to right field from Faxon allowed McHugh to score. Hatcliffe knocked her second hit of the day and scored Lisa Payne who came in as a pinch runner to extend the lead to three.

Arcement was on cruise control throughout her start, getting through five innings and only allowing three hits with a pair of strikeouts. Morrigan Gardiner made her first appearance as a Catholic player and was lights out for the Cardinals with two shut out innings in relief while punching out five of the six batters she faced to lock down a 3-0 victory. 

Grillo and Hatcliffe each led the Cardinals with a pair of hits as Grillo recorded her first career multi-double game while Hatcliffe led the offensive efforts with her multiple RBIs.  The Cardinals used some free passes to get the scoring going in the bottom of the first inning after both Grillo and Geneva Webber reached base and stole second to put two in scoring position. Grillo eventually came in to score the games first run on a wild pitch and Faxon would later poke a single back up the middle to bring Webber home for a 2-0 lead. Olivia Stinchcomb delivered the biggest swing of the inning two batters later when she launched a two-run shot to cap off a four run bottom of the first frame.

The Bears struck back with a long ball of their own with two outs in the top of the third to cut the deficit in half. Faxon and Stinchcomb each picked up their second hits of the game in the bottom of third to put two runners in scoring position but a strikeout brought an end to the rally and the score remained 4-2.

Stinchcomb's big game at the plate was not done yet as Hatcliffe picked up a single and Stinchcomb came up with her second big fly of the game to once again give Catholic a four run advantage, needing just six outs to clinch a sweep. 

The Bears attempted to rally in the top of the seventh inning by scoring two runs to once again pull within two but Morgan O'Sullivan barred down and struck out the last batter to secure the Cardinals second win of the day.

Stinchcomb recorded her first career multi-homer game and overall finished the day going 4-for-7 for a .571 average. Overall on the day, five different Cardinals recorded multiple hits to help pick up the two victories.

Colangelo notched her first win of the season by going five innings while only allowing two runs with seven strikeouts. 

The Cardinals are back in action on Tuesday, February 24 for a double header against Hood at home. First pitch for game one is scheduled for 3 pm at the Catholic Softball Field.