Alfred and Fisher Take Two

Alfred and Fisher Take Two

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ST. JOHN FISHER v NAZARETH
The St. John Fisher College softball team pushed its winning streak to six games in thrilling fashion on Friday, defeating the visiting Nazareth College Golden Flyers 10-8 in the first game of a doubleheader before pulling off a 5-4 come-from-behind walk-off win in the finale.  With the wins, Fisher moves to 14-4 overall, while Nazareth dips to 3-11.

Game 1
In the opening game of the doubleheader, Fisher wasted little time welcoming Nazareth's pitcher to the game, loading the bases on three singles before Jessie Smyrski hit a monster grand slam that cleared the left-center field fence before the Golden Flyers could retire the side.

The Cardinals continued to apply the pressure in the bottom of the second inning when Megan Keib led-off with a double and was quickly replaced by Meghan Burns who laced an RBI-double to deep right-center field.  Run scoring doubles seemed to be a trend in the inning as Jennifer Knaak stepped to the plate and lined yet another double that plated Burns to give Fisher a 6-0 lead. 
The hot hitting didn't end there, however, as the very next hitter, Lauren Owens, clubbed a two-run homer to put the Cardinals in front 8-0.

After a scoreless third inning, the Golden Flyers were able to get something going, scoring two runs on four hits including back-to-back doubles to begin the inning.

Nazareth would add two more runs in the top of the fifth.  After a lead-off single, Nazareth launched a two-run shot of its own to cut Fisher's lead in half, 8-4.

The Cardinals would extend their lead to 10-4 in the bottom part of the frame, but the visitors would not go away, scoring four runs on five hits in the top of the seventh inning to come to within two runs, but the Cardinals were able to escape any further trouble, earning the 10-8 win.

Halie Schoff tossed a complete game to move to 7-1 on the season. 

Game 2
In the second game, Nazareth took a 2-0 lead after plating a run in the first and second innings.

The Cardinals would get on the board in the third after Knaak and Burns delivered RBI-singles to tie the game at 2-2.

After a scoreless fourth inning, Kate Disbrow led off the home half of the fifth inning with a double and would move 90 feet to third bsae after a wild pitch.  With the tying run at third, Knaak belted an RBI single to left field to tie the game at two runs apiece, chasing the Nazareth starting pitcher in the process.

After a Nazareth run in the sixth, Fisher would get one back in the bottom half.  Smyrski ripped a double and would score the tying run after Samantha Poules replaced her on second with an RBI double to right center.  The Cardinals had the go-ahead run at third after Disbrow beat-out an infield single, but the Golden Flyers were able to work out of trouble to keep the score at 3-3.
After a scoreless seventh inning, the game went to extra innings.  After recording two quick outs, Nazareth would lift its second home run of the game to take a one run lead.

Down to its final three outs and trailing 5-4, the Cardinals would load the bases a walk followed by two singles including a pinch-hit single by Olivia Fusilli.  With the bases chucked and only one out, Fisher had two chances to knock in the tying run.  After a lineout to short, Knaak stepped to the plate and blasted a two-run walk-off single to give Fisher the come-from-behind win.

Keib gets the win to move to 4-0 after throwing 5.2 innings in relief.


ALFRED v HOUGHTON
The Alfred University softball team earned a doubleheader sweep of host Houghton College Friday afternoon. The Saxons won the first game, 6-4, when took the nightcap, 10-1 in five innings, to improve to 16-4 on the season.
 
In the opener, the Saxons scored twice in the first and second and took a 4-1 lead into the bottom of the third before Houghton plated three runs in the bottom of the frame to knot the contest at 4-4. After a scoreless fourth, AU scored two in the fifth to take the lead and then held on for the win.
 
Sophomore shortstop Nicole Maher knocked in the winning run with an RBI double, then scored an insurance run on a double by junior Alison Wickwire.
 
Wickwire was 2-for-4 with two doubles and two RBIs and Maher was 2-for-4 with two runs. Freshman third baseman Liz Thompson hit a double, scored twice and drove in a run; senior outfielder Rachel Guszick hit a triple and scored a run; and sophomore second baseman Dana Torchia (RBI) and sophomore Samantha Jauregui each scored a run.
 
Junior Samantha Jo Muller got the pitching win in relief of Wickwire. Muller went four scoreless innings, allowing two hits and striking out three. Wickwire pitched three innings and allowed four runs (two earned) on one hit while striking out three and walking three.
 
In the nightcap, sophomore pitcher Katelyn Jakobsen tossed five innings of two-hit shutout ball, striking out six and walking just one to improve to 6-0 on the year.
 
Alfred scored single runs in the first and second and held a 2-0 lead before plating four in both the fourth and fifth innings. Sophomore catcher Jasmine Picini was 2-for-3 with a pair of doubles and four RBIs and Maher was 2-for-3 with a solo homerun to pace the Saxons.
 
Senior outfielder Stephanie Arguello was 3-for-4  with a double, two runs and an RBI; sophomore Nora Passuite was 2-for-2 and scored three times; and Guszick, Torchia, Wickwire and junior outfielder Alyson Hampton each scored a run.