WINTER HAVEN, Fla. – The nationally-ranked St. John Fisher College baseball team toppled DeSales University, 9-3, Monday afternoon at the Chain of Lakes Field Complex. With the win, the Cardinals increase its win streak to three-straight and move to 3-1 on the season. DeSales drops to 1-4.
After the first three innings went scoreless, Fisher was able to record the first tally. With two outs,
Frank Carnevale took a pitch to the body to earn first base. He was then moved to second as
Evan Ryan placed one into left field for a single. The next batter,
Victor Konstantinovsky, then ripped a hard grounder up middle to send Carnevale home and give Fisher the 1-0 lead.
Scoring then resumed in the sixth as the Bulldogs were able to tie it up on an error. That didn't hinder the Cardinals though as they responded with four of their own. E. Ryan got the frame going with a walk, and then was immediately moved to second as Konstantinovsky was beamed by a pitch. E. Ryan then gained third as a pick off attempt was overthrown. With a runner in scoring position,
Justin Graham singled up the right side, plating E. Ryan.
Jack Trotman got into the action next, sending a ball to center that earned him second base, pushed Graham to third and Konstantinovsky home.
After DeSales switched pitchers mid inning,
Nate Roethel took advantage of the cold hurler, doubling a ball to right center and earning him two RBI.
In the seventh, Fisher added another run to increase the lead to 6-1.
Malcolm Kelsey led off with a double to left center and then was brought home as
Thomas Pasquale singled him in.
DeSales would attempt a comeback in following frame, scoring two, but once again Fisher had an answer. With one out, Trotman hit a grounder that the first basemen lost in the sun. The senior used the confusion to his advantage as he hustled to second to earn a double. Roethel followed that up with a double of his own, placing runners on second and third.
Scott Eisenmenger then ripped a shot to left field, scoring both Trotman and
Stephen Edgett, who was pinch running for Roethel. After that, Kelsey was walked, bringing Pasquale up to the dish. The freshman earned his second single, and RBI, of the day as he sent one into right field that plated Eisenmenger.
Anthony Brophy got the start for the Cardinals, earning his second win of the season as he struck out six and didn't allow an earned run. He would be relieved in the sixth, as
Kyle Chambers came in to pitch 2.0 innings, allowing two runs and punching out two.
Caleb Lee would take the rubber for the final inning, keeping a clean sheet while striking out two of the final three outs.
Fisher finished the day with a season-high 13 hits, led by Roethel's three.
Baseball will return to action at 9:45 a.m. tomorrow as the team will square off against the 22nd-ranked Chicago University-Concordia. The game will be played at field 6 of the Lake Myrtle complex.
