UTICA, N.Y. – The nationally-ranked St. John Fisher College softball team made quick work of Utica College on Saturday as the No. 6 Cardinals took both ends of an Empire 8 doubleheader at Greenman Field to close out the 2017 regular season.  With the wins, Fisher, which has now won 14 straight decisions, moved to 33-5 overall and 12-2 in the conference standings.  Utica fell to 17-21, 4-10, respectively.

FISHER 10, UTICA 1

Lindsey Thayer moved to 20-4 with the win as the junior pitcher hurled five innings and allowed just one run on three hits while striking out 10 overall. 

The Pioneers struck first with a solo home run in the bottom of the second, but the lead wouldn't hold as Fisher tied the game at one run apiece in the top of the third when Balsano dropped a bunt down as Emma Savas, who had singled and moved into scoring position on an infield error earlier in the inning, scored the Cardinals' first run. 

The score remained deadlocked at 1-1 until the top of the fifth when Fisher plated nine runs on seven hits.  Emma Savas led off the inning with a single to left and moved to second when Balsano reached on a fielder's choice.  After a quick out, Fisher dealt a blow when Ashley Prince blasted a three-run shot to break the tie and give Fisher a 4-1 lead.  As the inning continued, Danielle Ventrone came up with a two-run single while Savas drove in a run with a single to left field.  Balsano kept the trend going with an RBI single of her own before Julia Sortisio capped the inning with a two-run single to give the Cardinals a nine-run edge heading into the home half of the fifth.

FISHER 9, UTICA 1

After a scoreless first inning of play, Fisher jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the second with four hits.  After Sarah Kubik singled and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Karlie Neale, Genevieve Paeglow picked up an infield single before stealing second base to put two in scoring position for Ventrone who knocked in a run with a single back to the pitcher.  The Cardinals made it a 2-0 game after scoring on a passed ball before Sortisio singled home the visitors' third run before Utica could retire the side.

In the top of the third, Fisher tacked on another run before Balsano smacked a two-run homer in the fourth to make it a six-run contest.

Fisher scored three more runs in the top of the fifth with Samantha Schermerhorn picking up an RBI with a double to center.

Monica Moses picked up her 13th win of the season after going five strong innings.  Moses allowed one run (unearned) on just two hits and matched her season-high with 10 strikeouts.

Fisher, which has earned the No. 2 seed in the upcoming Empire 8 Championship, will face No. 3 Stevens Institute of Technology at 1 p.m. on Friday in the opening round of the conference championship at Doris Kostrinsky Field in Ithaca.