Ellicott City, MD - A strong pitching performance for Cardinals ace Kayleigh Rishel halted the Dragons offense as CCBC Catonsville swept the Dragons 4-1 and 7-2.

After a solo home run by the Cardinals in the top of the first inning of game one, the Dragons tied the game in the bottom half as Kasey Smith (Jessup, MD/Hammond) drove in Sage Huber (West Friendship, MD/Glenelg). The Cardinals added a run in the sixth inning and two more in the seventh to put some space between the two teams as Howard managed four hits in the game with Huber accounting for two of them. Smith pitched 6.1 innings, holding the Cardinals to eight hits and four earned runs while Samantha Hobert (Elkridge, MD/Howard) closed out the seventh inning with a couple of strikeouts.

Hobert started game two and racked up eight strikeouts, allowing seven runs (four earned) in a solid complete game on the mound. Catonsville jumped ahead 5-0 before the Dragons got on the board in the bottom of the fifth. Madeline Lackey (Manchester, MD/Manchester Valley) ripped a double down the right field line followed by a Huber triple to the left-center gap. Howard scored another run in the seventh inning as Huber reached base for a third time in the game, stole second, then eventually scored on a wild pitch.

Rishel turned in back-to-back complete game performances with 11 strikeouts in 14 innings pitched while getting help from Abigail Heagy who hit two home runs on the day.

The Dragons will close out their regular season schedule on Tuesday, May 2 when they host Camden County at 2/4 PM.