Washington, D.C. – St. Mary's College of Maryland and Catholic University were suppose to complete two, seven-inning non-conference games Saturday afternoon but Mother Nature had other ideas as squads played just one rain-shorten contest which St. Mary's claimed by a 6-4 decision in five innings.
Catholic (12-8) opened up the game with a 4-0 run in the first inning. Senior L.J. Travaglia (Randolph, N.J./Randolph) drove in the first run for the Cardinals with his single to leftfield, bringing home junior Matt Grieb (Garrett Park, Md./St. Alban's) who led off the inning with a single. Junior Dave Grear (Runnemeade, N.J./Paul VI) connected on a single to score the No. 2 batter, junior Dan Sullivan (Beltsville, Md./DeMatha), who had doubled to reach base. The final two CUA runs resulted from first-year Marc Hanna's (Bloomfield, N.J./St. Peter's Prep) double to right center. Junior RHP Michael Victory (Westford, Mass./Westford Academy) pitched two ground outs to end the inning without further damage.
The Cardinals maintained their 4-0 lead until St. Mary's evened the game with four runs of its own in the third inning. Senior shortstop Matt Baden (Huntingtown, Md./Huntingtown) started the scoring for the Seahawks as Baden connected on a lead-off double down the left line, advanced to third on junior right fielder Eric Gronbeck's (Owings, Md./Northern) fly out to right, and then stole home. Junior designated hitter Nick Urso (Newtown, Conn./Newtown) followed up with a two-out, three-run home run.
Victory retired the side in the second and third innings before giving up a double and a walk to the second and fourth batters of the fourth. With Cardinal runners on first and third, Victory pitched a ground out to Sullivan to get out of the inning.
The Seahawks (17-12) staked their first lead of the game, 5-4, in the fourth behind sophomore shortstop Corey Napier's (Leonardtown, Md./St. Mary's Ryken) one-out, RBI single down the leftfield line, scoring Baden who reached on a leadoff single to leftfield.
St. Mary's stretched their lead to 6-4 in the fifth behind sophomore catcher Stefano Muscatelli's (Warwick, R.I./Toll Gate) two-out, RBI single to right field, scoring senior leftfielder Joey Kavanagh (Huntingtown, Md./Huntingtown) who reached on a leadoff hit by pitch.
After St. Mary's scored three more times in the top half of the sixth, Catholic was at-bat when the skies opened up and was accompanied by thunder and lightning. The umpire sent both teams to their dugouts and soon after, the game was called.
There was a 40-minute weather delay earlier in the day as well with rain wreaking havoc on Talbot Field all afternoon.
Baden paced the Seahawks at the plate with a 2-for-4 effort, including his team-leading ninth double, while Victory (3-3) picked up the win, allowing four runs (three earned) on seven hits in 5.0 innings.
St. Mary's will return to action Wednesday, April 6 as the Seahawks travel to Yankee Stadium Field at Ripken Baseball Academy in Aberdeen, Md. for a league contest against Stevenson University at 3:30 pm.