The St. John Fisher College softball team advances to the Empire 8 Conference Championship after sweeping its opponents on Friday at Alfred University's Harrington Park. The Cardinals, who entered the tournament as the No. 4 seed, defeated top-seeded Alfred 2-0 in Game 2 of the tournament before taking down No. 2 seed Ithaca College in Game 4.
 
The Cardinals (28-12) will face the winner of Game 5 (Ithaca and Alfred) at 1 p.m. Saturday again at Harrington Park.
 
It is Fisher's first appearance in the title game since 2013 when the Cardinals earned the title as the No. 3 seed over Utica College.
 
Game 2 – Fisher 2, Alfred 0
 
Lindsey Thayer shut down nationally-ranked Alfred, limiting the No. 18 Saxons to five hits and two walks with 13 strikeouts in a complete-game effort. It also marked the first time this season that Alfred was shut out.
 
Fisher struck first as Katie Mazierski singled up the middle to score Danielle Ventrone. The freshman infielder singled to left field then advanced to second as the ball dropped just under Alfred's Shannon Schaefer's glove and rolled past her.
 
Fisher held onto its one-run lead through the fifth inning when the Cardinals added another run. Kristina Balsano hit a liner past diving shortstop Nicole Maher to start the offense. Mazierski laid down a sacrifice bunt and reached first base as Alfred got the lead runner in Balsano. Jennifer Knaak and Meghan Burns strung together hits to bring in Mazierski.
 
In the bottom half of the inning, Alfred poked two singles through the left side to put runners on first and second base with one out. Thayer ended the threat with back-to-back strikeouts.
 
Burns went 2-for-3 with a RBI to lead the offense. Knaak, Balsano and Kate Disbrow added two hits apiece.
 
Game 4 – Fisher 6, Ithaca 2
 
Thayer started right where she left off, retiring the Ithaca leadoff batter with another k.
 
Fisher struck first as Emma Savas hit a hard groundball to shortstop to score Knaak.
 
The Cardinals added two more runs in the bottom of the second inning. Disbrow got on base with a single to left center then rounded all the bases as Balsano hit her sixth career home run deep over the right field fence. Fisher held a 3-0 lead heading into the third inning.
 
Fisher kept on rolling in the bottom of the third inning as Lauren Owens singled and reached third when the right fielder failed to scoop the ball. Two outs later, Ventrone doubled to right field, scoring Owens. Fisher took the decisive 5-0 lead when Disbrow singled up the middle to score Ventrone.
 
Ithaca found its way onto the scoreboard in the top of the fourth inning, thanks to a couple wild pitches. The Bombers added another run in the sixth on a double and an RBI-single.
 
Fisher added an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth inning when Burns brought in Mazierski on a hard-hit ball to right field.
 
Thayer scattered five hits, two runs (one earned) and two walks with 10 strikeouts in the full seven innings. The freshman improves to 20-7 on the year.