The St. John Fisher College baseball team defeated Stevens Institute of Technology, 9-6, in an Empire 8 Championship elimination game today at Dugan Yard to keep its season alive. With the win the Cardinals set a school record in wins with 32 to improve to 32-10 on the year, while the Ducks fell to 26-15.
 
Fisher will face the loser of the Utica/Ithaca game tomorrow at 12 p.m. in another elimination game.
 
The Cardinals wasted no time getting on the board in the bottom of the first as Fisher used two walks, two hit by pitches, a fielder's choice and a single to push four runs across. Cody Wiktorski drew a walk to open the inning and later moved to third on back-to-back wild pitches. Jack Trotman walked on six pitches as senior Mike Roman was hit by a pitch to load the bases.  Wiktorski scored as junior Nate Roethel was hit by a pitch to put Fisher up 1-0. Senior Joe Simmons reached on a fielder's choice and moved to second as a throwing error by the second baseman allowed two more runs to score. Malcolm Kelsey singled home Simmons from second to cap the inning.
 
Fisher tacked on its fifth run of the game in the third frame to make it a 5-0. Scott Eisenmenger singled through the left side and two batters later scored on a pass ball.
 
Stevens got on the board in the top of the sixth as Zeph Walters parked a two-run home run over the right field fence to make it a three run game.
 
In the bottom of the seventh, Fisher put the game away as it scored three more runs on four hits and an error to make it 8-2. Then the Cardinals tacked on their final run in the bottom of the eighth as Wiktorski placed a solo shot over the left center field fence.
 
The Ducks scored a total of four runs in the final two innings of the contest on five hits. Walters in the top of the eighth hit his second two-run four bagger.
 
Kelsey paced Fisher for the game going 4-for-4 with two RBIs. As a team, tallied 11 hits and four walks.
 
Fisher starting pitcher Stephen Lewis threw seven impressive innings scattering six hits, striking out four and allowing two runs. He improves his record to 7-0 on the season.