Box Score
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Host Catholic University scored the first 10 runs of the game and the Cardinals dealt Gettysburg an 11-3 non-conference defeat Wednesday afternoon at Talbot Field.
Catholic (19-13-1), which plated six runs over the first two innings, received a 3-for-5 performance from No. 3 hitter Joseph Macca, who clouted a two-run homer in the bottom of the first. Kevin Sweeney held Gettysburg to one run on five hits and four walks to earn the win on the mound.
Freshman Cam Riera (Medway, Mass./Medway) continued his hot streak for the Bullets (16-21), going 2-for-5 with a double. Riera is now hitting 9-for-18 over his last four games. Junior Chris Liegel (Oak Ridge, N.J./Pope John XXIII) held the Cardinals to one run over 2 1/3 innings out of the bullpen while senior Mike Ciancio (Roseland, N.J./Newark Academy) fired a scoreless eighth.
Maca's home run made it 2-0 before Catholic pushed across four runs on three hits, two walks, and an error against Gettysburg starter Michael Sweeney (Bethesda, Md./St. Anselm's Abbey School).
Cleanup hitter Mike Goodman led off the bottom of the fifth with a homer, sparking a four-run, four-hit Cardinal inning that gave Catholic a 10-0 lead.
The Bullets broke up Kevin Sweeney's shutout in the sixth when sophomore Mike Backus (Piscataway, N.J./Immaculata) led off with a triple and scored on a Mike Donohue (Livingston, N.J./Livingston) single.
Catholic pushed across a single run in the seventh before Gettysburg scored twice in the ninth to set the final score. Freshman Matt Karis (Southborough, Mass./Noble & Greenough School) and senior Dave Olson (Orchard Park, N.Y./Orchard Park) roped back-to-back doubles leading off the inning before freshman Chris Simard (Lexington, Mass./Belmont Hill) knocked in the final run of the game with a sacrifice fly.
Michael Sweeney (2-4) went 1 2/3 for the Bullets and was charged with the loss. Sophomore Derek Zaleski (Haddonfield, N.J./Haddonfield) also threw three innings for Gettysburg.
The Bullets conclude their Centennial Conference regular season schedule on Saturday, when they visit Ursinus College in a doubleheader starting at 12:30 p.m.
