The St. John Fisher College Softball team swept the University of Pittsburgh-Bradford on Saturday, winning the first game 5-1 and the second 8-2.
The Cardinals are starting the 2016 season 11-1, which is the best start for Fisher in program history.
Fisher 5, Pitt-Bradford 1Pitcher
Lindsey Thayer struck out 13 of 26 batters faced limiting Pitt-Bradford to only three hits in seven innings.
The Cardinals had 10 batters accounting for all 10 hits, the first coming from
Lauren Owens on a double hit to left field. On the ensuing at bat,
Sarah Kubik homered, setting the tone early with a two run lead.
In the top of the third, Kubik got on base on a walk, and shortly after,
Ashley Prince singled, sending Kubik home to make the score 3-0.
Fisher would put runners on in the next three at bats, beginning with a double from Balsano, who scored Prince.
Julia Sortisio singled to centerfield on the next play, sending Balsano home for the last run of the game.
Fisher 8, Pitt-Bradford 2Fisher continued its momentum from the first game, putting runs on the board again in the first inning.
Katie Mazierski doubled on the first play of the game, and just after,
Jennifer Knaak sacrifice bunted advancing Mazierski to third. On the ensuing play, Prince again came up clutch, doubling and sending Mazierski home.
Pitt-Bradford would answer in the bottom of the first and took the lead at 2-1, but would not score the remainder of the contest.
In the second, both Balsano and Owens found themselves on base in time for Sortisio to single up the middle, scoring both runners. Sortisio would later score on a fielding error on the right fielder, putting the Cardinals up 4-2.
Another double from Balsano in the third would tack on another RBI, as Ventrone made her way to the plate for the fifth run for Fisher. With Owens on third, Mazierski singled, sending Owens home as the third inning came to a close for the Cardinals.
Fisher would not score again until the top of the seventh inning on a single from Knaak that scored Balsano. Prince would provide the final scoring opportunity when she singled, sending Knaak to the plate for the eighth and final run of the game.
Pitcher
Halie Schoff tallied five strikeouts in the contest.
Fisher returns to action at 3 p.m. on Monday when they hit the road again to take on Medaille College.
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