The St. John Fisher College softball team improved to 17-7 on the season after sweeping a road doubleheader  against the Houghton College Highlanders 12-0 (5 innings) and 5-4 on Thursday.
 
BOX SCORE- GAME ONE

In the opening game, the visiting Cardinals got off to a quick start, scoring two runs in the first inning on doubles by Meghan Burns and Jessie Smyrski.
 
 After a scoreless second inning, Fisher had a monster third, scoring nine runs on eight hits to take a commanding 11-0 lead.  After three doubles consecutive doubles to lead off the frame including back-to-back RBI-doubles by Jennifer Knaak and Lauren Owens, Jessica D'Angelo would reach first base on a Highlander error and promptly swipe second.  The next batter, Smyrski, walked to load the bases with no outs.  Fisher would score its third run of the inning and fifth of the game as Houghton's pitcher missed her target, allowing the runners to advance on the errant pitch.  With runners on second and third and the home team yet to record an out, Samantha Poules laced a bases-clearing single up the middle to give Fisher a 7-0 lead, but Fisher wasn't done yet, plating four more runs on a towering grand slam off the bat of Burns.
 
Fisher would add one more run in the fifth when Karli Neale lifted an RBI-double to bring the score to 12-0.
 
As a team, Fisher clubbed 15 hits and drew four walks, while the Highlanders accounted for four singles in the contest.  Burns nearly hit for the cycle in the game, falling only a triple short after going 4-for-4 at the dish with four runs scored and four RBI.  Lauren Wesolowski was sensational in the circle for Fisher, tossing three scoreless innings while scattering two singles to pick up her fourth win of the season.
 
BOX SCORE - GAME TWO

In the nightcap, Houghton would take an early 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning, but Fisher would get a run back in the second courtesy of an RBI-single by Christina Sakran to make it 2-1.
 
The Cardinals would knot the game at two runs apiece in the third after Smyrski stepped to the plate and launched a double to deep right field scoring D'Angelo who had walked and stolen second base earlier in the inning.
 
After swapping zeroes in the fourth and fifth innings, Fisher would take the lead for good in the sixth.  After recording two quick outs, Smyrski kept the inning alive with a single and quickly scored as the very next batter, Poules, laced an RBI-double and would advance ninety-feet to third base after a Houghton error.  Head coach Bari Mance's decision to call for a pinch hitter would pay off as Olivia Fusilli gave Fisher an insurance run with an RBI-single to make it 4-2.
 
The Cardinals added to their lead in the seventh and final inning.  Owens put herself in scoring position on a long double, but wouldn't remain at second for long as D'Angelo belted an RBI-double to the fence to put Fisher up 5-2.
 
Down to its final three outs, Houghton made things interesting, as the Highlanders plated two runs in the bottom of the seventh and had the winning run on base, but it was not to be as Fisher induced a pop-up to second base to end the game.
 
Hillary Panek earned her first win of the season after throwing six strong innings.  She gave up two runs and tallied three strikeouts in the game.  Megan Keib earned her first save of the year despite giving up two runs in the seventh.
 
The Cardinals will return to play at 1 p.m. on Friday when they host an Empire 8 doubleheader against Ithaca College.