St. John Fisher Earns Two Wins for Best Start in Program's History
The St. John Fisher College softball team earned its first two conference wins of the season with a sweep of Nazareth College on Friday.
With the two wins, Fisher is now 18-4 (2-0 E8) on the season and is off to its best start in the program’s 29-year history. Nazareth falls to 2-18, 0-4 with the losses.
Game One: Fisher 5, Nazareth 0
With two hits, the Cardinals were able to drive in five runs as Kayla Goodberlet and Kaylee Tallman provided solid at bats when runners were in scoring position.
In the fifth inning, with runners on second and third, Goodberlet hit a single to center field, scoring pinch runner Kate Disbrow and shortstop Kelly Jones.
Disbrow came in to run for Megan Zoerb who reached on an error, while Jones was hit by a pitch.
Carrying the 2-0 lead into the sixth inning, Fisher added to its cushion with a three-run home run from Tallman.
The bomb was a career-first for the freshman.
Goodberlet finished 2-for-3 in the game, while Jennifer Vanek was 1-for-1 with a walk and a sacrifice bunt in the fifth that helped lead to the 2-0 margin. Danielle Leone earned her 10
th win of the year with the six strikeout, four hit victory as she is now 10-1.
Game Two: Fisher 11, Nazareth 1 (Six Innings)
Power hitter Leanne Merchant gave the Cardinals the lead for good in the bottom of the fourth inning when she sent her team-leading ninth home run over the left field wall to earn two RBI.
After Goodberlet reached on a single to left field, Merchant chose not to sacrifice bunt and instead put the Cardinals ahead with the hit.
Nazareth got its only run of the game in the opening inning, after the Golden Flyers started the game with a single from Kailey Ritch.
Ritch eventually touched all bases to score.
The Cardinals added four more runs in the bottom of the fifth inning as Fisher scored on three-consecutive at bats.
Merchant came up with another two RBI, scoring Vanek and Jones who both reached with one out.
Carissa Carlson got her first RBI of the day on the next at bat, scoring Goodberlet from second base after she reached on a fielder’s choice.
Tallman completed the trio with a hard single to center field that brought Merchant home.
Fisher ended the game in the bottom of the sixth inning when Carlson earned three of her four RBI on a two-out home run.
Going into the inning with a 6-1 lead, Fisher scored a run after Vanek tripled and then reached home on a Jones at bat.
Jones, who got to first base on an error by the fielder, was later brought across the plate by Merchant, giving Fisher an 8-1 lead and setting up Carlson’s closing hit.
Merchant finished with a game-high five RBI going 3-for-4 from the plate.
Tallman and Krista Robarge both went 2-for-3, with Tallman earning one RBI.
Sarah Stefanon pitched all six innings, improving to 8-3 on the year.