PITTSFORD, N.Y. – The nationally-ranked St. John Fisher College softball team celebrated senior day by clinching an Empire 8 regular season championship on Sunday as the Cardinals, who are ranked ninth according to the latest National Fastpitch Coaches Association poll, took both ends of an Empire 8 doubleheader against Utica College at The Softball Complex.  With the wins, Fisher, which will now host the Empire 8 Championship next weekend, improved to 27-7 and 14-0 in the conference standings.  Utica had its 12-game winning streak halted and ended the day at 18-16 and 10-4, respectively.
 
Fisher, which is riding a 12-game winning streak of its own, will return to action at 3:30 p.m. on Friday when it begins its quest for another Empire 8 title against fourth-seeded Alfred University at The Softball Complex.  Second-seeded Stevens will face third-seeded Utica in the day's other contest at 1 p.m.
 
FISHER 3, UTICA 1
 
The Cardinals clinched the regular season title in the opening game behind another complete game from senior pitcher Lindsey Thayer who allowed one run on two hits over seven innings.  Thayer (17-3), who saw her scoreless inning streak snapped at 64.2 innings, recorded 12 strikeouts and now sits just 25 Ks away from tying the all-time Division III mark for career strikeouts.
 
After both pitchers swapped zeroes over the first three innings, Fisher broke through in the bottom of the fourth with one run on three hits.  Mary Claire Grosvenor kept Fisher alive with a two-out single before being lifted for Maddie Klidonas who entered as a pinch runner.  Following an error, senior Emma Savas singled to left to plate Klidonas and give the home team a one-run edge.
 
The Pioneers knotted the game in the top of the fifth with a pair of hits, but surrendered two runs in the sixth as Grosvenor blasted her second homer in as many games before Julia Sortisio made it 3-1 with an RBI-single up the middle.
 
Grosvenor continued to crush the ball on Sunday, as the junior catcher, who extended her hitting streak to seven games, had come away with a hit in each of her last six at-bats after going 3-for-3 in the nightcap at Alfred on Friday.
 
FISHER 9, UTICA 1
 
The Pioneers jumped out to an early lead after loading the bases in the top of the first, but senior pitcher Monica Moses limited the damage as the Olean native got out of the jam with just one run crossing home plate. 
 
The lead didn't last long, however, as Ashley Prince boomed a double to left center that plated Sortisio who had led off with a single to left.
 
With the score tied at one run apiece, Fisher put the game away with six runs on six hits in the bottom of the second.  In all, the Cardinals sent 11 hitters to the dish with Sortisio driving in two with a bases-loaded single.  As the inning continued, Sammie Torlish, Emily Trotman and Megan Kreger all drove in a run as Fisher opened up a 7-1 lead.
 
The Cardinals closed the contest out in the bottom of the sixth with two more runs on three hits.  Trotman led off with a double to left and advanced to third when Grosvenor singled.  Kreger picked up another RBI with a fielder's choice before Sortisio drove in another run with a walk-off single to left.
 
The Cardinals had 13 hits in the win led by Soritiso who was 3-for-5 with three RBI.  Senior Katie Mazierski inched closer to Fisher's all-time hits record with two hits while Prince, Trotman and Grosvenor each produced two hits overall.
 
Moses moved to 9-2 with the win after tossing six innings.  She allowed one unearned run on five hits with seven strikeouts.