The nationally-ranked St. John Fisher College softball program picked up two key Empire 8 Conference wins on Sunday, as the Cardinals defeated host Stevens Institute of Technology 3-0 and 4-2 in its two-game series.
 
Sophomore pitcher Lindsey Thayer earned the win in both games, raising her record to 15-1 on the year.  She struck out 15 batters in each of the two games. 
With the wins, Fisher, ranked 20^th in the national coaches poll, improves to 23-5 overall and 5-1 in the Empire 8.   The Cardinals will return to action at 3 p.m. on Tuesday and will host SUNY Cortland.
 
Game One  - Fisher 3, Stevens 0

Lindsey Thayer pitched all seven innings for Fisher, striking out 15 while giving up just two hits.    With the score tied at 0-0 after five innings, Fisher rallied for three runs with two outs in the sixth.
Katie Mazierski singled and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt.  Following a strikeout, Jennifer Knaak singled in the game-winning run and advanced to second on the throw.  Karlie Neale repeated Knaak's performance to make it 2-0 and Lauren Owens doubled to score Neale and put Fisher up 3-0.
 
 
Game Two – Fisher 4, Stevens 2
After giving up a two-run homer in the first, Fisher scored the game's final four runs.  Thayer allowed just four hits and struck 15 to improve her record to 15-1 on the year.
 
Fisher tied the game up at 2s in the second inning.  Danielle Ventrone singled to scored Karlie Neale, while Julia Sortisio hit a sacrifice fly to score Lauren Owens.
 
In the fourth, Sortisio hit what proved to be the game-winning RBI, a single to score Neale.

Fisher tacked on an insurance run in the seventh as Ashley Prince, who reached on single, scored on a fielding error.