WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Catholic softball team hosted Gettysburg on Tuesday afternoon for a non-conference doubleheader. The Cardinals battled the Bullets in a 3-1 rubber match in game one and came alive offensively in the second game. Catholic secured the sweep with a 11-6 win in game two.

GAME ONE - Catholic 3, Gettysburg 1

The first inning was scoreless for both teams as they looked to find their footing on Tuesday afternoon. The second inning saw some more action as the Bullets loaded the bases with 3 hits. Emma Fleming made crucial plays on defense, throwing home to keep the run from scoring. Morrigan Gardiner then closed out the inning with a pass to first, keeping the game scoreless.

Gettysburg was able to push a run across in the third, putting the Bullets on the board first. In the bottom of the third, Aubrynn Arcement led off the offense with a hit through the 5-6 hole. A pair of sacrifices, a bunt from Gianna Samperi and a fly from Geneva Webber, moved Arcement over to third. Fleming then sent a ball out to the right center gap to give the Cardinals a 2-1 lead. 

The Cardinals continued their offensive pressure in the fourth. Katie McHugh started the offense off with a single through the left side and collecting her 9th and 10th stolen base of the year with Kerri Hatcliffe in the box. A sacrifice fly from Hatcliffe scored McHugh to put the Cardinals up 3-1.

In the top of the sixth, Alex Pley entered the circle for the Cardinals. Pley made quick work of Gettysburg with a fly out to Webber in center, a groundball back to herself, and a pop out to Fleming at second. Catholic went scoreless in the bottom of the inning.

The Cardinals shut it down in three batters in the top of the seventh, collecting the first win of the day 3 to 1. 

GAME TWO - Catholic 11, Gettysburg 6

Acrement earned the game two start in the circle for the Cardinals. Gettysburg got on base early with hits from Jamie Shaw and Renee Laczkowski, but the Cardinal defense shut them down, getting out of the inning with back-to-back groundouts. 

Fleming singled to center field for the first hit of the game, and with smart baserunning, she advanced to scoring position on an error by the center fielder. Olivia Stinchcomb made her way to second base after reaching first on a fielder's choice, advancing as Fleming was caught in a rundown. The Cardinals were able to score first thanks to a double down the left field line from Katie McHugh. After the first inning, the Cardinals led 1-0. 

After putting two runners on with an error and a hit by pitch, Arcement was able to pitch her way out of the sticky situation in the top of the second.

After her pitching success in the top half of the second, Arcement singled to right center to give the Cardinals their first baserunner of many in the inning. Samperi saw four straight balls to walk her on over to first base. Webber loaded the bases with a single to right field. With bases loaded, Sam Grillo waited patiently at the plate, making it to first on a walk that would force Arcement home.

The Bullets' called upon their bullpen in hopes of stifling the Cardinal offense and put Katie LaPlaunt in the circle. The bases were loaded after LaPlaunt issued the second walk of the inning to McHugh. Katie Scolese, who has had a consistent presence in the box for the Cardinals as of late, battled her way to a full count. The senior capitalized and sent a bases clearing double off of the left wall. On a wild pitch, Scolese moved herself over to third. Arcement collected the fourth walk of the second inning. Then the senior earned herself a stolen base. Scolese capitalized the throw down to second, scoring the seventh run of the inning. With two innings complete, Catholic held a significant 8-0 lead. 

Both teams went scoreless in the third inning, experiencing three-up-three-down halves. 

Fleming got the Cardinals out of the top of the fourth with a double play, tagging the runner and throwing over Hatcliffe at first. In the bottom of the fourth, Scolese smashed her second double of the day, one hopping into the centerfield wall. Despite this, the Cardinals were unable to score in the fourth. 

Gettysburg, with its back against the wall, put up four runs in the fifth. The Cardinals were able to get out of the inning with Fleming's second double play of the day. The sophomore caught a line drive off the bat of Abby Todd and threw it over to Scolese at second to double off Anika Pelekis. 

Hatcliffe answered the Bullet offense in the bottom of the fifth, singling to start the inning. Samperi walked to put runners on first and second. Webber put down a sacrifice bunt to move the Catholic pair of baserunners. Grillo grounded out to the shortstop, but collected an RBI in the process and moved the Catholic lead to 9-4. 

Sophia Colangelo entered the game for the Cardinals on the rubber in the top of the sixth. A walk and error let the Bullets push two more runs across in the top of the sixth, scoring off of a fielder's choice and single. In the bottom of the sixth, Stinchcomb and McHugh logged back-to-back singles to right field. Arcement hit an RBI double up the middle to bring the Catholic lead to 10-6. Hatcliffe collected another RBI for the Cardinals with a groundout to first base. After a complete six innings, the Cardinals led 11-6.

With the Cardinals just three outs away from securing the doubleheader sweep, Grillo made a diving catch in right field for out number one in the top of the seventh. Colangelo collected the second out with a strikeout looking. Fleming closed the game out with a ground ball flipped over to first base for the third out. The Cardinals won game two 11-6, moving their record to 16-6. 

Inside the Boxscore: 

• The Cardinal pitchers held it down in the first game, only giving up one run on four hits. Gardiner had five strikeouts across five innings pitched and earned her first win as a Cardinal. Pley earned the save, her first of the season.
• Scolese, McHugh, and Arcement each collected two hits in the second game. This group, with an addition of Fleming, were the only Cardinals to have a multi-hit day. 
• Grillo collected a stolen base in each game today, increasing her conference leading total to 18.

Up next, the Cardinals return to conference play to host Scranton on Thursday, April 2nd. First pitch of the doubleheader is slated for 1 p.m. with the second game to follow at Catholic Softball Field.