PITTSFORD, N.Y. – The St. John Fisher College baseball team mashed 14 extra base hits on Saturday as the Cardinals took both ends of a non-conference doubleheader at Dugan Yard against visiting Oswego State in a matchup of two of the top programs in the New York Region.  With the sweep, Fisher improved to 14-7 on the season while the Lakers dipped to 13-8 overall. 

FISHER 13, OSWEGO 8

The Cardinals belted nine extra base hits in the opener including three home runs as the team clawed its way back after falling behind by four runs in the early innings.

Trailing 4-0 heading to the home half of the fourth, Fisher got on the board in a big way with three runs on three hits to pull to within one run, 4-3.  Justin Graham led off the frame with a double down the right field line before Jack Kelleher walked.  With two on and no outs, Thomas Pasquale cracked a two-run double down the left field line before coming around to score when Antony Mantova singled him home with a base hit to center.

With their lead slowly slipping away, the Lakers answered in the top of the fifth with two runs to hold a 6-3 edge, but Kelleher kept the Cardinals within striking distance in the bottom of the inning after jacking a two-run blast off the right field scoreboard to make it 6-5.

In the top of the sixth, Oswego showcased its power with a two-run home run to straight-away center to push its advantage back to three runs.  The lead would be short-lived, however, as Graham stepped in with two men on in the bottom of the sixth and uncorked a three-run homer to knot the game up at 8-8.

Following a scoreless top of the seventh, the Cardinals continued to mash in the bottom of the seventh with two more runs on two hits to take their first lead of the game, 10-8.  Allen Murphy got the ball rolling with a single up the middle before Mantova moved him to third base with a double to right.  With two on and no outs, Ryan Simmons lifted a sacrifice fly to center before Michael Beimel plated a run with a ground out.

Head coach Brandon Potter's squad struck again in the bottom of the eighth with three more runs.  Graham delivered the big blow in the form of a two-run homer for his second long ball of the day.  Leading 12-8, Murphy collected an RBI with a laser shot off the right field fence to plate Pasquale before Oswego could retire the side.

RJ Kuruts started on the mound but didn't factor in the decision after allowing six runs (five earned) on 10 hits in five innings.  Kuruts fanned six in the game before being lifted for Caleb Lee who pitched one inning overall and was tagged for two runs while Anthony Brophy moved to 2-0 on the season after the lefty pitched the final three frames.  Brophy allowed just one hit in a scoreless outing.

FISHER 11, OSWEGO 5

In the nightcap, the Cardinals got off to a slow start as the Lakers jumped ahead, 2-0, through four innings of play.

In the fifth inning, Fisher cut the deficit in half when Graham pounded a single to right field that plated Ryan Brown to make it 2-1.

Oswego State continued to hit the ball in the sixth inning and chased the Cardinals' starter, Matthew Raudelunas, before plating three runs in all to hold a 5-1 edge heading to the bottom of the sixth.

Facing an uphill climb and a four-run gap, the Cardinals began to chip away as Pasquale led off with a single to left before eventually scoring the team's second run of the game on a sacrifice fly from Simmons to make it 5-2.

After setting the side down in order in the top of the seventh, Fisher struck again in the home half of the inning when Kelleher belted his second home run of the day to put two on the board with the score at 5-4.

Fisher was again able to hold the Lakers at bay in the top of the eighth before exploding for seven runs on three hits and three errors to open up a commanding 11-5 lead.  In all, Fisher sent 11 hitters to the dish with Simmons driving in a run before Brown singled in two.  The big blow came off the bat of Pasquale as the junior infielder belted a bases-clearing triple before the visitors could escape the inning.

Raudelunas pitched 5.1 innings overall and was hit for five runs (four earned) on six hits to go along with six strikeouts.  Jack Delaney gave up one hit in two-thirds of an inning while Dillan Wilkinson moved to 1-0 after throwing three shutout innings.  Wilkinson allowed just one hit on the day and fanned five in the win.

The Cardinals will be right back at it beginning at 12:30 p.m. on Sunday when they welcome Moravian College to Dugan Yard for another non-conference doubleheader.