MADISON, N.J. – Playing their second nationally-ranked opponent of the week, the Drew University baseball lost both ends of a doubleheader to No. 13 Catholic University on Sunday at Doc Young Field.
 
The Cardinals captured the opener 6-2 and the nightcap 25-4.
 
In the first game, freshman Kyle Johnson (1-2) started on the mound for Drew and scattered four runs on six hits while striking out five over five innings of work.
 
Catholic (17-3, 5-0 LC) scored twice in the second and twice in the fourth to assume a 4-0 lead.
 
The Rangers (11-11, 1-7 LC) answered in the bottom of the fourth, reaching Catholic starter and last year's Landmark Conference Pitcher of the Year, Tucker Alch, for one run on a pair of hits. Junior Luis Fuentes drilled a ball into the right-center gap and hustled into second for a double, then scored one batter later when sophomore Ryan Jones knocked a single up the middle.
 
The Cardinals restored their four-run lead with a run in the top of the sixth before Drew answered with another run in the bottom half versus Alch on sophomore Will Fritch's fourth home run of the season, making it 5-2.
 
Catholic scored its final run in the eighth, but in the bottom half the Rangers rallied to load the bases. Sophomore John Furch got things going with a one-out, pinch-hit single to left before junior Anthony Diaz reached when his line drive caught the base umpire near second base. Then with two outs, senior K.J. Hallgren was hit with a pitch to load the bases. Brendan Martin was then summoned out of the bullpen to replace Alch, and he escaped the jam with a strikeout before going on to pitch a scoreless ninth to pick up the save.
 
Alch (4-0) struck out 13 over 7 2/3 innings.
 
In the second game, the Cardinals scored in every inning but the fourth. The Rangers ripped eight hits for the game, with junior Anthony Hernandez finishing 2-for-3. Junior Lewie Weaver doubled for Drew.
 
The same two teams conclude their three-game series on Monday with a single game starting at 2 p.m. back at Doc Young Field.