WINCHESTER, Va. – Visiting Catholic University spoiled Shenandoah University's homecoming with a 37-7 ODAC football victory Saturday afternoon before 2212 Sprint Field at Shentel Stadium fans.
The Cardinals (4-2, 1-2 ODAC) rolled up 30 first downs and 519 yards in total offense on 87 plays to run away from SU (2-4, 1-2).
CUA held the ball for 35:20 of game time and had 326 yards rushing.
Mike Pitsenberger did most of the damage, rumbling for 199 yards and three touchdowns on 36 carries. Two of those touchdowns came on direct snaps in short yardage goal line rushes.
Shenandoah, which was held to 199 yards in total offense, scored its lone touchdown at the 4:44 mark of the first on a 14-yard Andrew Smith dash up the middle.
The run, which capped a three-play, 35-yard drive, tied the game at 7-7.
Catholic retook the lead on a Pitsenberger 1-yard rush at 11:08 of the second, and following a Brandon Adams fumble deep in SU territory just before halftime, the Cards took a commanding 21-7 lead when quarterback TJ Tutone found Alex Evans for a 3-yard TD pass.
The Hornets threatened on their opening drive of the second half, driving all the way to the CUA 2 before being stuffed on a 4th and goal.
Catholic took over on its own 1 and drove 92 yards in 11 plays, ending with a Peter Rosa 24-yard field goal, to effectively seal the victory.
The final two Cardinals TDs came on another Tutone to Evans pass, this one 16 yards, and a Pitsenberger 1 yard run.
That final TD was the lone score of the final stanza.
In addition to Pitsenberger's 199 yards rushing, Nick Cortese added 138 on 20 carries.
Tutone and fellow QB EJ Montgomery were a combined 17 of 25 for 193 yards and the two TDs.
Smith paced the Shenandoah offense with 70 yards rushing on 20 attempts with Adams making six receptions for 41 yards. Hornets quarterbacks Justin Neff and Drew Ferguson were a combined 15 of 26 for 90 yards.
Bryon Mitchell was one of four SU players registering double-digit tackles – he had 15 stops with Michael Wroble adding 13, Michael Messick 12 and Sean Blackman 10.
Blackman also picked off a pass at the goal line.
Shenandoah begins a two-game road trip next Saturday with a 1:00 contest at Hampden-Sydney.
###
