Split Is Enough To Lead Cardinals To Postseason

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The Catholic University softball team (14-16, 6-6 Landmark) came back to win the second game of a Landmark Conference doubleheader with the Juniata College Eagles (21-16, 3-8 Landmark). The Cards dropped the first game 2-0 but came back with a 5-0 win in the second. The split gives CUA a berth in the Landmark Conference tournament in the fourth spot which will be played next weekend at Moravian.

The first game didn't go CUA's way as two errors allowed a pair of runs that would prove to be the difference. In the second inning, Juniata had two outs against them but an error and the following single scored the runner. In the next at bat another error allowed the runner on base and scored another making it 2-0. The Cardinal defense managed to hold the Eagles for the remaining innings but the offense could get nothing going resulting in the 2-0 loss.

CUA had just two hits in the game while Juniata notched six, the Cards committed four errors in the game. Stacie Goddard (Nashua, N.H./Bishop Guertin) took the loss in the circle despite eight strikeouts and no walks in the contest.

The second game went much better for the Cardinals as they started out with three runs in the bottom of the second. Lynn Brown (Laurel, Md./Saint Vincent Pallotti) reached on a hit and came home on Kara Walker's (New Milford, N.J./Holy Angels) single to the shortstop. Rachel Baker (Riverdale, Md./Saint Vincent Pallotti) then walked before both her and Walker crossed the plate on a double by Kelly Lukacs (Chesterfield, N.J./Northern Burlington Regional) to make it 3-0. Brown's homer in the third inning moved the score to 4-0.

The defense continued to hold Juniata even in a bases loaded situation in the top of the sixth. The Cards added to the lead in the bottom of the sixth when Christie Shaw (Worristown, Pa./Mount Saint Joseph) scrambled home on a wild pitch making the final 5-0.

The Cardinals out hit the Eagles 7-3 with Brown leading the way on a 2-2 performance with two runs scored and an RBI. In the circle, Goddard pitched her second complete game of the day with four striekeouts and just one walk.

The win gives the Cards a berth in the Landmark Conference tournament. They will travel to Moravian next weekend for the four-team event.