CLERMONT, Fla. – The St. Thomas Softball team capped off its annual Spring trip to the National Training Center with a 5-0 shutout win over Madonna University (Mich.) on Thursday evening.
 
Winning pitcher Carson Catasus pitched seven shutout innings en route to the complete game, allowing just five hits.  Catasus forced Madonna's hitters into 11 ground outs and stuck out two, while walking three en route to her first win of the season.
 
At the plate, Christina Horton led the Bobcats with a 3-for-3 night with two runs scored and an RBI.
 
Catasus had a big night offensively as well, going 2-for-3 with two RBI.  She recorded what proved to be the game-winning RBI with a single down the left field line that scored Christina Horton to open the scoring in the first inning.  In the third inning, Catasus drove in another single to left field, again scoring Horton to make the score 3-0.
 
The Bobcats would score two more insurance runs in the fourth inning as Jessica Matias hit an RBI-single that scored pinch runner Claudia Avila.  Horton then drove in Marias on a single up the middle to make the score 5-0.
 
In all, STU registered 10 hits. In addition to Catasus, Horton and Matias, Natalie Sacramento, Amanda Furar and Linett Perez all registered base hits for the Bobcats.
 
Earlier on Thursday, St. Thomas lost to Cornerstone (Mich.) 11-5, despite the Bobcats recording a season-high 11 base hits.  The Bobcats fell behind early, allowing nine runs in the first inning and one run in the second.  Down 10-0, the Bobcats rallied with five runs in the fifth inning.  However, the deficit was too much to overcome.
 
Against Cornerstone, Horton went 3-for-4 with a runs scored.  Catasus went 2-for-4 with a double, one RBI, and one run scored.  Cristina Sacramento was 2-for-3 with two RBI.  Linett Perez hit an RBI triple and also scored a run, while Michelle Murch hit a double and had one run scored.
 
Catasus was effective in relief vs. Cornerstone, pitching 3.0 innings allowing one run on three hits while striking out three and walking none.
 
The Bobcats return home for their next games, a doubleheader vs. NCAA DII Nova Southeastern on Thursday, March 12 beginning at 1 p.m. at the Bobcat Softball Field.