St. John FIsher Opens Season with Two Wins in Tucson
The St. John Fisher College softball team saw a 2-0 start to its season with back-to-back wins in the opening round of the Tucson Invitational. In Game One, the Cardinals erased a two-run deficit to beat Chapman University 7-4 and followed with a five-inning 9-1 victory over Milwaukee School of Engineering.
In the night’s first game, Leanne Merchant put the Cardinals up for good with a three-run blast over the center field wall during the fifth inning. The Cardinals trailed by one run at 2-1 at the time, after Jennifer Vanek scored off a double from Megan Zoerb. Then, Merchant’s home run sent in two Cardinals that were on base.
The Cardinals added a fifth run in the inning after Carissa Carlson stole third and was able to advance to home on an errant throw. Fisher added another two insurance runs in the next inning, with Zoerb again scoring Vanek on a double and then Kayla Goodberlet sending Zoerb around the bases with a long single.
Chapman added runs in the fifth and seventh innings, but could not overcome the deficit.
Sarah Stefanon picked up her first win on the mound, striking out three in the effort.
Game One: Fisher 7, Chapman 4
The second game of the evening, which lasted late into the Arizona night, saw the Cardinals pull-out a “mercy rule” victory by compiling an eight-run lead over the first five innings. Fisher carried its strong hitting over from Game One, and totaled 13 hits in the second contest.
Vanek scored her third run of the day in the first inning after Goodberlet singled down the right field line. MSOE tied the game at 1-1 with its only run of the game in the bottom of the first, but Fisher would go on to score three runs in the second, three in the fourth and two in the fifth for the eight run victory.
Jennifer Martin reached on an error in the second inning, scoring Meghan Burns and loading the bases for Goodberlet who knocked in two runs with a single. Two innings later, with a single from Vanek, freshman Kate Disbrow scored after stealing second base. A wild pitch later sent Vanek over the plate to make the game 7-1.
The Cardinals added their final runs in the fifth, pushing the lead to 9-1 and ending the game early. Burns, who got on base with an error from the field, scored on a wild pitch, while Disbrow added the game’s final run.
Goodberlet recorded a team high four hits and four RBI, while Vanek totaled three runs in the game.
Danielle Leone compiled four strikeouts on the mound, retiring the game’s final batter with an impressive pitch that left her looking.
Game Two: Fisher 9, MSOE 1
The Cardinals will return to action at 8 p.m. (EST) on Sunday as they face Coe College in a double-header at the Tucson Invitational.