SCRANTON, Pa. – The University of Scranton baseball team (15-10, 7-5 Landmark) dropped the series finale to the No. 11 Catholic University Cardinals (21-3, 9-0 Landmark) by a score of 12-6 on Monday afternoon at Volpe Field in Scranton.

Catholic struck first with a run in the top of the first with an RBI single from Mitchel Johnson and the 1-0 score would then hold until the fifth inning.

In the top of the fifth, the first two runners reached via a single and Dante Pozzi cleared the bases with a three-run shot to extend the lead to 4-0. Catholic then added a run later in the frame to make it a 5-0 game.

Scranton began to battle back in the home half when sophomore Jake Elston (New Milford, Conn./Canterbury School) drew a one-out walk, advanced to third on consecutive singles and scored on an RBI groundout from senior Nick Reposa (Factoryville, Pa./Tunkhannock) to cut the lead to 5-1. Two batters later, the tying run came to the plate but Catholic starter Tucker Alch got a lineout to end the threat.

Senior right-hander Hunter Ralston (Duryea, Pa./Pittston Area) got the start for the Royals and was dealt the loss after allowing five runs (four earned) on seven hits while walking two in five innings of work.

Alch surrendered one run on three hits to go along with two walks and two strikeouts in 6.0 IP to record the victory for Catholic.

The Cardinals extended the lead with five in the sixth and one in the seventh before Scranton struck back for three runs in the bottom of the seventh when graduate student Jake Lisicky (Whitehall, Pa./Whitehall) plated a pair with a two-run single to cut the lead to 11-4.

The Royals then added a pair of runs in the ninth on an RBI triple from junior Corey Zientek (Sugarloaf, Pa./Hazleton Area) who scored on an RBI groundout by freshman Logan Mason (Flemington, N.J./Hunterdon Central).

Eight different players tallied one hit apiece for the Royals and junior right-hander Ryan Walsh (Rockville Centre, N.Y./Chaminade) struck out a pair over 1 1/3 scoreless IP.

Scranton is right back in action tomorrow afternoon at Misericordia with first pitch of the non-conference clash set for 4 p.m.

--ROYALS--