Softball | 5/2/2017 2:22:00 PM

PITTSFORD, N.Y. – The nationally-ranked St. John Fisher College softball team will compete for an Empire 8 Conference championship beginning at 1 p.m. on Friday at Ithaca's Doris Kostrinsky Field.  Fisher, which earned the second overall seed in the four-team field after finishing the 2017 campaign at 12-2 in the conference standings, will battle third-seeded Stevens Institute of Technology while top-seeded Ithaca College takes on fourth-seeded Nazareth College on the other side of the bracket.

Fans who are unable to make the trip to Ithaca can still enjoy all of the action from anywhere in the world by clicking the links below: Can't wait for the action to begin?  Check out some game notes to learn more about the field.

CONTEDERS AGAIN: After reaching the Division III World Series for the first time in program history last season, Fisher is once again in the national conversation.  Head coach Bari Mance's squad began the season ranked second overall and currently holds the No. 6 ranking with a 33-5 overall mark.  Fisher leads the country with a 0.77 earned run average while its .375 team batting average is the sixth-highest of any Division III team.     

WELCOME BACK: 2017 marks the second consecutive year that the Empire 8 Championship will be played at Ithaca's Doris Kostrinsky Field.  Last season, Fisher was one out away from wrapping up its first Empire 8 title since 2013 before the Bombers scored three runs in the bottom of the seventh to earn the conference crown and the coveted automatic qualifier into NCAA play.  This season, the two teams split a doubleheader on Ithaca's home field with the Cardinals earning an 8-0 win in the nightcap. 

PEAKING AT THE RIGHT TIME: Fisher certainly enters the championship as the field's hottest team as the Cardinals are currently riding a 14-game winning streak dating back to April 10.  Ithaca has also played well down the stretch and enters the weekend with five straight wins while Stevens split with Elmira in its last doubleheader.  Nazareth has come out victorious in its last three games and six of its last eight overall. 

THAT WAS THEN. THIS IS NOW: One would think that after going 41-12 last season and finishing third overall in the Division III World Series that there wouldn't be a whole lot to improve on, but that's not the case this season.  Fisher has not only lowered its earned run average from 1.63 to 0.77, but has significantly upgraded at the plate.  In 2016, Fisher finished with a .301 team batting average, 235 runs scored, 438 total hits, 73 doubles, nine triples, 17 home runs and 203 RBI in 53 games.  In just 38 games this season, the Cardinals have amassed a .375 batting average, 274 runs (39 more runs in 15 fewer games), 390 hits, 69 doubles, 10 triples, 19 home runs and 241 RBI.
         
FOLLOW THE LEADER: Entering the championship, Fisher boasts four players with a batting average of at least .400 led by Katie Mazierski's .515 average.  Mazierski, whose average ranks sixth in the country, leads the team with 53 hits and is tied for the team lead with 14 stolen bases.  Emma Savas owns a .480 average at the plate with 47 total hits including nine doubles and a team-best four triples while Sarah Kubik has 43 hits in 103 at-bats (.417) to go along with a team-high seven homers.  Sophomore Julia Sortisio is batting .400 on the year with 50 hits including 16 doubles and 28 RBI.  Ashley Prince, who was named the Empire 8's Player of the Week on Monday, is hitting .394 with 41 hits and a team-high 37 RBI.  Senior Kristina Balsano can also rake as she has 14 extra base hits including five home runs.   
 
PITCHING, PITCHING, PITCHING: The Cardinals boast perhaps the two best pitchers in the Empire 8 this season led by All-American Lindsey Thayer.  This season, Thayer is 20-4 and leads the country in earned run average (0.35), strikeouts (288) and strikeouts per seven innings (14.4).  Thayer has been named the National Fastpitch Coaches Association Pitcher of the Week twice this season and the Empire 8 Pitcher of the Week four times.  She had a week for the ages in April after notching a perfect game and a no-hitter while also tying an NCAA Division III record with 21 strikeouts in seven innings.  She isn't Fisher's only stud though, as Monica Moses has had a breakout sophomore season with a 13-1 overall record and a 1.32 earned run average. 
 
SCOUTING ITHACA: The top overall seed in this year's tournament, Ithaca finished its season with a 28-8 overall mark and a 12-2 record in conference play.  As a team, Ithaca hits .310 at the plate while it pitches to a 2.16 earned run average this season.  The Bombers are led by Vanessa Brown's .390 average and her 48 hits.  Jessie Fleck owns a .386 average while Alex Wright and Allie Colleran are batting .374 and .345, respectively.  Colleran leads the way with six home runs while Brown's 32 runs batted in is the most on the roster.

In the circle Ithaca also boasts two strong pitchers as sophomore Haley Congdon finished the regular season with a 13-3 overall record and a team-low 1.80 ERA.  Emily Holden went 10-2 and owned a 1.90 earned run average while Abby Shields and Shannon Grage combined to go 5-3 on the year. 

SCOUTING STEVENS: In just 17 games this season, Lauren Shirley has a team-high .593 batting average (32-for-54).  Corinne Loncar has also posted a solid average as she hits .383 on the year with a team-leading 51 hits and 30 RBI.  Emily Sellitti and Farryl Groder have combined for 85 base knocks while Olivia Gemma has driven in 30 runs with 12 doubles and four homers.

Christine LaRochelle leads the way inside the circle with an 11-4 overall record to go along with a 2.90 earned run average.  In 108.2 innings of work, LaRochelle has notched 73 strikeouts and 10 complete games.  She also has proven capable of closing out a game with three saves.  Along with providing offense at the plate, Gemma has contributed as pitcher with a 6-3 record and a 4.03 earned run average.  Marissa Cappello has made 18 appearances this season with a 6-8 mark.   

SCOUTING NAZARETH: At 19-13, Nazareth College is led by Marissa Tortora's .375 batting average and 42 hits.  Meghan Barry is hitting .358 on the season while Nicole White owns a .333 overall average at the plate.  In 888 at-bats during the 2017 campaign, Nazareth has come away with 270 hits, which ranked sixth in the conference.  The Golden Flyers' were disciplined in the batter's box, however, as they struck out just 122 times.

Rachel Mertens has been a rock in the pitching circle as the senior has made 15 starts and posted a 10-5 record and a 1.60 ERA.  Mertens has recorded 61 strikeouts in 92.0 innings work.  White has also contributed to the team's success in the circle with a 9-6 record and a 4.10 earned run average.