WASHINGTON, D.C.  – The Catholic baseball team welcomed in RPI on Saturday afternoon for its first doubleheader of the season with an opportunity to continue to stack some wins early in the season.  After the pitching from Roman Tozzi and Liam Riordan reigned supreme throughout the first three innings of the ballgame, both offenses hung a crooked number in the fourth inning to spark what would become a high scoring affair. The Engineers started the scoring with a five run top of the fourth where the first run came in on a walk and the next two were able to score off a throwing error. RPI finally added some runs on a base-hit a couple batters later, which pushed the lead up to 5-0.

The Cardinals came up with a much needed response in the bottom of the inning after Matthew Fisher and Lance Eilbacher both worked their way on base with one out. Jack Bateman punched a single through the left side of the infield to bring home Fisher for Catholic's first run followed by Jack Elwell drawing a walk with the bases loaded to bring in another run. Luke Forde in the next at-bat managed to pick up his first career RBI with a sac fly into right field to bring Bateman home to reduce the deficit to two.

In the very next inning, Catholic loaded the bases once again with just one out in the inning and another freshman stepped up to tie the game up. Daniel Tsimbinos ripped a single through the left side of the infield to plate two runs to make it an even 5-5 game. A throwing error later in the inning from the shortstop sent Bateman darting to the plate once again and the Cardinals recorded their first lead of the game at 6-5. 

RPI struck back to take the lead in the top of the seventh inning when they brought three more runs home to take an 8-6 advantage. Fisher was once again the table setter with a lead-off walk in the bottom of the inning and Bateman once again brought him in to score with a double to deep left field that allowed Fisher to score all the way from first. Tsimbinos kept his clutch day going with an RBI single back up the middle to bring the score back even at eight.

After a shutdown eighth inning from Jake Kenney, the Cardinals had an opportunity to take the lead back in the bottom of the inning after Gabriel Ruiz and Logan Eilbacher worked back-to-back one-out walks. Fisher kept his stellar game going and delivered a go-ahead single into right field to score Ruiz. In the next at-bat, La. Eilbacher added some cushion to the lead as he delivered a two-RBI double to right center field to tack on to the lead and make it 11-8.

Despite the Engineers pushing across two runs in the top of the ninth, Jack Scholz locked things down when he came in for the final out of the game and he punched out the lone batter he faced for his third save of the season to wrap up a game one victory for the Cardinals. Lo. Eilbacher started game two off with a bang when he launched a 382 foot home run into left field in the bottom of the first inning to immediately give Catholic a two-run lead. The lead would be doubled in the very next inning for the Cardinals as Matt Perlin drew a two-out walk and Chris Esquivel immediately brought him around from first with a triple off the right field wall. Esquivel then broke for the plate after Ruiz stole second base to push the lead out to 4-0. 

Richard Belli was sharp in his start for the Cardinals, working through five innings while only allowing three hits and punching out six batters to keep the Engineers off the board during his time on the bump. 

After RPI brought two runs in in the top of the sixth to cut the deficit in half, Catholic immediately answered with a two-run inning of their own, started by Michael Napolitano, who ripped a double to left field to put two in scoring position for the squad. Right behind him, Perlin poked a two-RBI double into center field to once again extend the lead to four. 

The Engineers scratched across a run in the top of the eighth but the Cardinals bullpen kept things under control and Sean Murphy closed out the ninth inning with his first career save, completing the doubleheader sweep.

Inside the Box Score

• La. Eilbacher continues his tear to start the season as he now leads the team with 10 hits and seven RBI in the early portion of the season. He is batting .417 through the first handful of games and holds an ops of 1.273 to start the season.
• Despite the Engineers having 17 opportunities with runners on base in the second game, the Cardinals pitching staff held them to just 3-for-17 in those chances to keep the offense at bay. 
• The Cardinals reached 10 hits in the first game of the doubleheader making it the third time this season the offense has recorded 10+ hits.

Catholic is back in action on Sunday, March 1 when they take on Marymount (Va.) at home. First pitch is scheduled for 2:30 pm at Talbot Field.