Box Score SCRANTON, Pa. – Senior Tyler Kirsten (Wallenpaupack, Pa./Wallenpaupack Area) collected his 100th career hit with a two-run double, but The University of Scranton baseball team (22-7-1, 9-4 Landmark) dropped a 7-3 decision to the Catholic University Cardinals (25-10, 11-4) in the series finale on Sunday afternoon at Volpe Field in Scranton.
Kirsten delivered a two-run double off the left field wall in the bottom of the eighth to bring the Royals within a pair at 5-3, but Catholic added two insurance runs in the top of the ninth for a 7-3 lead.
Scranton opened the scoring in the home half of the third as graduate student Connor Harding (Vestal, N.Y./Vestal) reached on an error, stole second and scored on a two-out RBI single from sophomore Corey Zientek (Sugarloaf, Pa./Hazleton Area). The Cardinals immediately answered with a two-run double from Tommy Antonucci in the fifth and added a solo run in the fifth to open up a 3-1 advantage for the time being.
Sophomore right-hander Thomas Plunkett (Mamaroneck, N.Y./Mamaroneck) was dealt the loss for the Royals after allowing two runs on three hits while walking four and fanning one over 3 2/3 IP.
Tucker Alch earned the win for Catholic as he gave up three runs (two earned) on six hits and fanned 14 batters in eight innings of work.
The Cardinals tacked on two more runs in the top of the seventh inning to take a 5-1 lead before the afore-mentioned two-run double from Kirsten in the eighth.
Zientek (3-3, 2B, RBI, R) and Kirsten (2-4, 2B, 2 RBI, SB) both tallied multi-hit games in the setback, while Harding reached base twice and scored both times.
In relief for Scranton, senior left-hander Ryan Heiser (New Milford, N.J./Saint Joseph Regional) allowed one earned run and struck out three in 2 2/3 IP.
The Royals are right back in action tomorrow evening as they host William Paterson in a non-conference matchup at Volpe Field with first pitch slated for 5 p.m.
--ROYALS--
