KISSIMMEE, Fla. – The nationally-ranked St. John Fisher College softball team started its 2017 campaign with a pair of wins as the Cardinals, who are ranked second in the nation according to the latest National Fastpitch Coaches Association poll, defeated Emerson before beating Saint Joseph's (ME) in the Citrus Games on Sunday at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex.

FISHER 5, EMERSON 0

After a scoreless top half of the first inning, Fisher scored what turned out to be the game-winning run in the home half of the first when Sarah Kubik drove in Katie Mazierski who had singled earlier in the frame.  The Cardinals doubled their lead with another run in the second inning as Kristina Balsano smacked an RBI-single to the shortstop that scored Genevieve Paeglow to make it 2-0 in Fisher's favor.

Both teams held the other at bay in the third and fourth innings but the Cardinals scored two more runs on three hits in the fifth inning to open up a 4-0 lead.  Mazierski led off the fifth with a double and moved to third after Ashley Prince laced a single through the right side of the infield.  Two batters later, Karlie Neale drove in Mazierski on a groundball out before Paeglow lined a single into centerfield to plate Prince.

The Cardinals scored again in the sixth inning as Mazierski connected on her fourth hit of the game with an RBI-single that advanced Julia Sortisio to home.

Monica Moses got the win in the circle for Fisher after throwing six scoreless innings.  The sophomore pitcher held Emerson to just three hits and tallied 10 strikeouts.  Allison Uberty pitched a scoreless seventh inning.

Fisher produced 13 hits in its season-opener and stole five bases in all.

FISHER 8, SAINT JOSEPH'S (ME) 0

After five scoreless innings of play, Fisher got on the board in the top of the sixth inning on the strength of two hits.  Mazierski led off with a single up the middle and quickly stole second.  Ashley Prince moved her over with a sacrifice bunt before Paeglow reached on a fielder's choice and took second on the play.  Kubik stepped to the plate as a pinch hitter and singled to left to drive home Mazierski before the Monks were able to retire the side.

The Cardinals blew the game wide open in the top of the seventh inning with six runs on seven hits.  Balsano led off the frame with a single and quickly moved around the bases to score after back-to-back hits from Sortisio and Mazierski.  After Prince drew a walk to load the bases, Paeglow lifted a sacrifice fly to left field before an error by the Monks' outfield allowed two more runs to cross the plate to put Fisher up 7-0.  Neale followed suit with a double down the right field line and would later come around to score the Cardinals' eighth run when Danielle Ventrone reached on an error by the shortstop.

Lindsey Thayer notched her first win of the season in dominating fashion as the junior allowed just two hits through 7.0 innings with 17 strikeouts.

Mazierski completed her day going 7-for-7 with four runs scored, an RBI and four stolen bases.
 
The Cardinals return to the diamond on Monday with two more contests at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex.  Fisher will face Thiel at 1:15 p.m. before squaring off with nationally-ranked W.P.I. at 3:30 p.m.