Softball | 3/2/2018 11:55:00 PM
TUCSON, ARIZ. – The nationally ranked St. John Fisher College softball team went 1-1 on the first day of its 2018 campaign. The Cardinals, who are ranked second in the nation according to the latest National Fastpitch Coaches Association poll, fell to No. 9 Texas Lutheran before defeating No. 5 Illinois Wesleyan at the NFCA Leadoff Classic.
Texas Lutheran 4, Fisher 3
It was a pitcher's duel through the first three innings of play with Lindsey Thayer and the Texas Lutheran pitcher trading strikeouts.
Texas Lutheran jumped on the board first, scoring three runs on three hits in the fourth inning.
However, Fisher would surely answer in the bottom half of the frame. Sarah Kubik would start it off with a single before Megan Kreger would force a Bulldog error advancing the runner. Kubik would go on to score on a fielder's choice from Sam Schermerhorn. Marissa Kirker would then load the bases after being hit by a pitch to set up Julia Sortisio for the tying double to knot the game at three.
Fisher would stave off the Bulldogs in the top half of the fifth inning and head into the sixth inning tied up at three apiece. However, Texas Lutheran would send one over the fence to put the Bulldogs up one going into the bottom of the sixth. That homerun would be enough the Bulldogs to take the win.
Prince and Katie Mazierski would finish with two hits apiece, while Sortisio and Kubik came away with one.
Thayer suffered her first loss, but tossed seven strikeouts in the season opener.
Fisher 15, Illinois Wesleyan 11
The Cardinals came out swinging in the first inning, scoring four runs on four hits. It all started with a Sortisio single up the middle. Sortisio would score the first run of the ball game on a Prince rocket to left center field. After a Kubik walk, Sammie Torlish would launch a double to right center, scoring both Kubik and Prince. Mary Claire Grosvenor drove in her first RBI of the year to bring in Torlish and cap off the inning.
The Titans would break out in the bottom of the fourth inning, scoring five runs on four hits.
However, Fisher would go on a tear of its own, plating four runs on five hits to knot the game at eight. Jill Murray tallied her first collegiate hit with a single to the left side. After another Grosvenor single, Kreger would send a monster double to right center. Emily Trotman then recorded her first collegiate hit with a single to the pitcher to load the bases before Mazierski would launch a base clearing double to knot the game at eight.
The Cardinals would score another three runs in the top of the sixth on six total hits. Torlish lead off the inning and Murray would advance her to third with another single. Emma Savas would then smoke a single to plate Torlish. Later in the inning, Sortisio would send another hit through to tally two more RBI.
The Titans would get another one back in the bottom of the inning, however Fisher would put up four more runs in the top of the seventh to increase its lead to six. Kubik lead off the inning with a moon shot and her first homerun of her junior campaign. The Cardinals scored another three runs on a double from Trotman and singles from Murray and Savas.
Illinois Wesleyan would tack on another two runs but Fisher would hold off the Titans to earn its first victory of the 2018 season.
The Cardinals put up an impressive 23 hits in the game on seven doubles. Freshman Torlish went 3-4 with two doubles, a walk and three total runs on the day. Murray finished with a game-high four hits on the day, while Mazierski added two hits on three RBI. Trotman and Sortisio added three hits to go with two RBI. Prince, Savas and Grosvenor also added two base knocks to round out the day.
Trotman picked up her first collegiate win in the circle after coming in in relief.
The Cardinals pick back up on Saturday at 3 p.m. MST (5 p.m. EST) against No. 6 Trine University before squaring off against Linfield College at 5:30 MST (7:30 EST) at the Lincoln Sports Complex.
