Playing in its second conference doubleheader in as many days, the St. John Fisher College softball team came through with a sweep over host Utica in E8 action on Saturday. The Cardinals out hit the Pioneers 14-3 on the way to an 11-0 win in the opener, and closed out the series with an emphatic 11-3 decision. 

 

With the wins, Fisher owns an 18-6 overall record, including 6-2 in Empire 8 Conference games. The Cardinals will take on host Keuka College in a doubleheader at 3 p.m. on Wednesday.

 

After scoring three runs each in the third and fourth innings to take a commanding 7-0 lead, Fisher got the bats going again in the top of the seventh to put the game on ice. After Jenn Vanek's single brought in Amanda Ball from second, sophomore Lauren O'Brien stepped to the plate and delivered a three RBI home run, the second of her career, to put the game entirely out of reach.

 

Amanda Shevchuk earned the win after throwing four innings and allowing just two hits, while freshman Chrissy Capalbo threw three innings and allowed just one hit in relief. Samantha Vara and Jenn Vanek were each 2-for-2 with one RBI, while Kelly Jones and Kristi Bradley each went 2-for-4.

 

Game Two: Fisher 11, Utica 3  

The Pioneers took their first lead of the afternoon, 3-2, after a sacrifice fly in their half of the third. The Cardinals responded in the bottom half of the inning with a pair of two-RBI doubles from Bradley and Megan Rogers that gave Fisher a 5-3 cushion. Fisher kept Utica off the scoreboard for the rest of the game, and added two runs each in the fourth and fifth innings to invoke the eight-run mercy rule.

 

Shevchuk earned her second win of the day in the effort. The senior, who improved to 9-3, pitched all five innings and fanned two batters from the circle, while Vara (3-for-3, three runs, RBI) and Jones (2-for-2, two runs) powered the offense.