Fisher Suffers Loss to No. 8 Western Connecticut State in Regional Opener
Box Score
The St. John Fisher College softball team suffered its first loss of the NCAA Regional Championship on Thursday morning, falling 5-3 to Western Connecticut State. The Cardinals earned the top seed in the regional, held at Ithaca College, while Western was ranked No. 8.
Fisher jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the second inning with Krista Robarge and Kate Disbrow posting back-to-back two out RBI. After Leanne Mechant and Sarah Fordyce walked to open the inning, Danielle Leone pushed Merchant to third and reached after a fielder’s choice to get Fordyce out at second. Robarge singled up the middle to score Merchant and Disbrow followed, scoring Leone.
Western got on the board the next inning to make it 2-1, but Merchant answered with a deep solo shot to centerfield making the score 3-1.
The two teams were scoreless through the top of the seventh inning when Western put up three runs for the comeback win. The inning started off with Alle Sabith reaching on a hard liner that went off Kayla Goodberlet’s glove and into foul territory. After a bunt moved her over, a bloop single to center field put runners on the corners. The Colonials tried to score on a choppy infield hit, but Kate Disbrow grabbed the ball and fired home to Merchant who tagged Sabith out for the inning’s second out.
But the Cardinals couldn’t find the game’s final out and Western took advantage. The next batter sent a singled through the middle to tie the game and sent a second runner home trying to take the lead. Robarge threw to Merchant, who missed the tag but the runner also missed the base. The catcher was able to scramble to make the out, seemingly ending the inning. However, the third base umpire came in and called an obstruction that granted Western the run and made the score 4-3.
A single down the left field line gave the final 5-3 score, with the final out coming after the Western runner stepped off the base with the ball in the pitcher’s circle.
The Cardinals had a chance to tie the game in the final inning, with Goodberlet, Merchant and Fordyce managing to load the bases with two outs but Danielle Leone grounded out to second base.
Six Fisher batters each finished with a hit, while Merchant scored two runs. Sarah Stefanon pitched all seven innings with six strikeouts in her sixth loss of the season.
Fisher will now play the loser of No. 4 Cortland/No. 5 TCNJ at 10 a.m. on Friday morning at Ithaca’s Kostrinsky Field.