WASHINGTON, DC – The Drew University softball team lost a pair of close decisions at Catholic University in a Landmark Conference doubleheader on Saturday.
 
The Cardinals (19-7, 6-2 LC) won 4-2 in the opener, then rallied late for a 4-3 victory in the second game.
 
In the first game, Catholic jumped to an early lead with three unearned runs in the second inning. However, the Rangers pulled to within 3-2, scoring on an RBI-single from junior Haley Meierhofer in the third and plating an additional run on an error in the fifth. But the Cardinals pushed across an insurance run in the bottom of the fifth.
 
Senior Teagan Bradley started in the circle for Drew and pitched 4 2/3 innings. She yielded four runs, though just one was earned. She walked four and struck out three before giving way to freshman Gabby Duran, who blanked the Cardinals over the final 1 1/3 innings.
 
In the second game, the Rangers (11-13, 2-6 LC) took a 1-0 lead in the second inning when senior MacKenzie Pisani doubled before pinch-runner Megan Williams came around to score on a ground ball from senior Fran O'Kleasky.
 
Catholic went in front with a two-run third; however, Drew reclaimed the lead with single runs in the fourth and fifth, assuming a 3-2 lead. The Rangers tied it in the fourth when Meierhofer led off with a double before eventually scoring on an RBI-single from Pisani. Then in the fifth, senior Delaney O'Donoghue ripped a leadoff single before pinch-runner Amanda Novak scored on an error.
 
The Cardinals rallied with two runs in the sixth, as Katie Scolese smacked a two-out double that pushed across a pair of unearned runs.
 
Pisani finished 2-for-3 for the Rangers while sophomore Kaitlynne Streets pitched the opening four innings, allowing two runs. Duran pitched the last two innings and did not allow an earned run but was charged with the loss.
 
Drew returns to action on Tuesday, when it hosts the University of Scranton in a Landmark Conference doubleheader starting at 3 p.m.