HOUGHTON, N.Y. – The St. John Fisher College softball team took the first two games of the this week's four scheduled contests with Houghton College on Tuesday night under the lights at Houghton's Softball Stadium, 3-2 and 10-1. The Cardinals improved to 16-2 and 11-1 in the Empire 8 with the wins, while the Highlanders dropped to 4-16 overall and 3-9 in the conference.

FISHER 3, HOUGHTON 2

The Cardinals found themselves in an early hole as Houghton scored two runs in the bottom of the first inning.

It wasn't until the top of the fifth inning that Fisher got into an offensive groove. Emily Trotman launched a leadoff double to center field before Maria Marcera sent a base hit through the left side of the field to advance the one-hole hitter to third base. With runners at the corners, Megan Kreger reached base on a fielder's choice to send Trotman home easily and narrowing the deficit to one run.

After a 1-2-3 sixth inning, the Cardinals looked to make a last chance effort in the top of the seventh. Nine-hitter Maddie Klidonas reached base on an error to lead off the inning for Trotman to move into scoring position on a sacrifice bunt. Marcera singled to put another runner on base to be moved to second and third on a Sammie Torlish sacrifice fly ball, but the cleanup hitter, Kreger smacked a two RBI double to the wall to score both runners and take a 3-2 lead.

The Fisher defense secured three straight outs in the bottom of the seventh inning and completed the comeback.

Kreger's three runs batted in and one hit led the visitors in their attack. Marcera and Torlish both tallied two hits in the contest, while Trotman, Abby Flakus, Allison Rogowski, and Lyndsey Murray all recorded one hit each.

Trotman improved her season record to 8-1 in the win after throwing the full seven innings, allowing two runs on five hits, and striking out five.

FISHER 10, HOUGHTON 1 (Five Innings)

Fisher's bats came alive in game two as the Cardinals combined for four doubles, a triple, and a game-sealing grand slam to tally nine hits. Trotman went 2-for-3 at the plate while Marcera, Torlish, Kreger, Allie Klonowski, Flakus, Rogowski and Murray split the rest of the Fisher hits. Flakus led Fisher with five RBI in the game while Torlish added two.

After going up six runs in the top of the third inning, the Cardinals put the exclamation mark on their night in the following inning. A leadoff single and two straight walks loaded the bases for Flakus, who stepped into the box with two outs and took a pitch deep over the left field fence for her first career grand slam and her third career home run.

Jess Patterson had an impressive showing on the mound, as she extended her record to 8-1 after facing 19 batters in the five inning contest, while striking out seven, including five punch outs on the last five batters she faced.

The Cardinals have a day of rest before they travel to Fredonia to take on the Blue Devils in a non-conference doubleheader on Thursday, April 22.