The St. John Fisher College softball team won both games of its doubleheader against visiting Rochester Institute of Technology on Wednesday in the Empire 8 Conference season-opener for both teams.

            In the first game, Fisher trailed 3-1, but scored four runs in its final at-bat, thanks to four consecutive singles with the bases-loaded, and defeated the Tigers 5-3.

            R.I.T. had runners on second and third with one out in the seventh, but second baseman Kelly Hausler (Colonie/Niskayuna) snagged a line-drive to start a double-play that ended the game.

            Senior Sara Dresser (Medina/Medina) went 4-for-4 in the contest with a run scored and two RBI.  Hausler went 2-for-2 with a run scored, while Samantha Vara (Hamburg/Boston) and Nicole Watkins (Canastota/Canastota) each picked up two hits and scored a run.  Nicole Middleton (Hudson Falls/Fort Edwards) went 2-for-4 with an RBI, while Meghan Graves (Fort Ann/Fort Ann) and Kristi Bradley (Dansville/Dansville) each picked up RBI-singles.

            Pitcher Amanda Shevchuk (Fayetteville-Manlius/Manlius) picked up her first win of the season, scattering eight hits over seven innings.

            In the nightcap, Fisher scored three runs in the third inning and held on for a 3-2 win.  Vara hit a solo home run to start Fisher’s rally.  She also ended the game with a diving catch in right field.  Dresser and Middleton each picked up two hits and drove in Fisher’s other two runs.

            Freshman Melissa Blakeney (Vestal/Vestal) picked up the win for the Cardinals (4-10 overall).  Blakeney fanned three batters over seven innings, improving her overall record to 3-4 on the year.

            Fisher will return to action on Saturday for a doubleheader at nationally-ranked Ithaca College. Fisher went 1-2 against Ithaca in last year’s Empire 8 Conference Championship Tournament.