ST. MARY'S CITY, Md. – One day after falling to the nation's No. 4 ranked team, CUA bounced back in a big way, downing St. Mary's 11-4 on Thursday afternoon. The Cardinals pounded out 17 hits on the day and scored multiple runs in three innings, including four in the 8th. Seven Cards totaled more than one hit, led by Stefan Poggioli with three.

CUA struck first with three runs in its half of the 2nd. A one-out single by Marc Hanna got the Cards started and Brendan Breslin followed with an infield single.

A St. Mary's error then loaded the bases and Poggioli's fielder's choice brought home the first run. Pat DeToro drove in the second run with a single and another Seahawks error allowed CUA's third run to cross.

St. Mary's got on the board with a single run in the bottom of the frame, but CUA came right back with two more in the top of the 3rd. Mike McFarland's single back up the middle plated Breslin to make it 4-1, and Poggioli later came across on a wild pitch to increase the lead to four.

DeToro singled home McFarland in the 5th to give CUA a 6-1 advantage, and after Poggioli scored on Charlie Dillon's groundout in the 7th, the Cards found themselves ahead by six.

The Seahawks pulled to within 7-4 in the 7th when they scored three times. An error by CUA allowed the first two runs to come home and Eric Skrzyniarz's single brought home the Seahawks' fourth run of the afternoon.

CUA came right back with four runs in the 8th to pull away for the win. Hanna again got things going with a single and Breslin followed with a single to left this time.

McFarland brought in Hanna with a single to right center, and both runners moved up one base on the throw home.

Poggioli continued his hot streak, ripping a single down the left field line to plate both Cards and make it 10-4. A two-out single by Kalokitis brought in Poggioli, but Dillon was tagged out on the play, retiring the side.

Jonah Jimenez and Kory Smigocki combined to throw two scoreless innings in the 8th and 9th for CUA, helping to lift the Cardinals to their 18th win of 2013.

On the mound, CUA starter Rob Steinkopf went four innings, struck out two and allowed only one run, before turning things over to Sean Van Gieson, who went two innings and struck out four.

Josh Martin, Jimenez and Smigocki finished things off by throwing an inning apiece.

St. Mary's starter Carlos Cruz went 4.1 innings, allowed 10 hits and six runs.

CUA is now off until Sunday when the Cardinals will travel to Pennsylvania to face Lebanon Valley. The first pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m.