TUCSON, ARIZONA – The St. John Fisher College softball team wrapped up its spring trip to Tucson, Arizona with two solid wins on the day. The Cardinals took the 6-5 win over Saint Benedict College in a nine inning nail-biter, before trumping Bethany Lutheran College, 2-1. Fisher finished its 2018 spring trip with a 7-5 record over its 12 game stretch.
Fisher 6, Saint Benedict 5
Lindsey Thayer would take the mound for her sixth start of the tournament to face the Blazers. Saint Benedict would strike first with a single run in the first inning, followed by a second run in the second inning.
After a scoreless third, Fisher would hop on the board in the bottom of the fourth. Sammie Torlish and Sarah Kubik would draw walks to begin the inning, setting up Jessica Sardina for the RBI double down the right field line.
The Blazers would score one run on two hits and a single error in the top of the fifth frame.
Then, the bottom of the sixth inning would come. Sardina would start it up with a single to left field. Emma Savas would come in to pinch run and Mary Claire Grosvenor would move her over to second. Marissa Kirker stepped up the plate and sent a rocket up the middle to score Savas. Kirker would nab two extra bases on the throw, before Katie Mazierski would lay down the perfect bunt to plate Kirker for the go-ahead run.
However, Saint Benedict knotted the game up at four in the top of the seventh inning on two hits. The Blazers would stave off Fisher in the bottom stanza of the inning and plate the go-ahead score in the top of the eighth.
Fisher would tie the game in the bottom of the eighth on three hits. Emily Trotman would be placed on second on account of the international tie breaker. Lyndsey Murray would perfectly place the bunt single to advance Trotman to third. Ashley Prince would step to the plate and send a shot to center field, plating Trotman.
The Cardinals took to the field and turned the clutch double play to get both the hitter, as well as the runner in the top of the ninth inning, setting up Fisher for the walk-off in the bottom of the frame.
Sortisio would be placed on second and Torlish would put down the sacrifice bunt to move her over. This would bring up the freshman Trotman to send a liner up the middle to bring home Sortisio and secure the win for the Cardinals.
Thayer would earn her third win in the circle, and totaled eight strikeouts in the contest.
Torlish, Sardina and Kirker would all finish with multi-hit games, while Mazierski, Sortisio, Trotman, Murray, and Prince would all add a base knock.
Fisher 2, Bethany Lutheran 1
Monica Moses and the Cardinals pulled out the one-run win to end the day and trip.
After two scoreless innings, Fisher would plate the first run of the game in the bottom of the third. Mazierski would find her way to first after the dropped third strike and eventually swipe second base. Torlish stepped to the plate and lofted the RBI double into left center field.
After a scoreless fourth frame, Fisher would score its second and final run of the game in the bottom of the fifth. Torlish lead off the inning with a single up the middle, followed up by a Kubik hit-by-pitch. Trotman would move the runners over with the sacrifice bunt, and Sardina would force the defense to make a mistake in order to score Torlish.
Moses and the defense let up a single run in the top of the seventh, but would hold off the Vikings to seal the win for the Cardinals.
Moses earned her second win in the circle, and struck out a total of eight batters on the day.
Torlish would go 2-4 with an RBI in the game, while Mazierski, Kubik and Kreger added a single hit.
The Cardinals take a bit of a break and return to play at 3 p.m. on Wednesday, March 21st to take on the University of Rochester for the home-opening doubleheader.
