TROY, N.Y. – The nationally-ranked St. John Fisher College baseball team erupted for 15 runs on Wednesday as the Cardinals, who are ranked 23rd in the initial D3baseball.com poll, defeated the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Engineers, 15-9, in the team's season-opener at Robison Field.

It didn't take long for Fisher to get on the board as Ben Lavery left the yard on the first pitch of the game over the right-center field fence to give the Cardinals a 1-0 edge.

The visitors added to their lead in the top of the second after a leadoff double by Nick Lemire came around to score when Patrick Kravitz grounded out to make it a two-run game. RPI, however, countered in the home half of the frame with two runs on two hits to draw even.

After exchanging runs in the third inning including a solo shot from James Murphy, Fisher forged ahead in the top of the fourth as Luke Duffy came around to score after working a leadoff walk to make it 4-3.

Trailing by a run in the bottom of the inning, the Engineers put their leadoff man on following a Fisher error.  After striking out the next two hitters, the Cardinals were poised to retire the side before the home team belted a two-run shot to grab a 5-4 advantage heading to the top of the fifth.

With a new pitcher in the game, the Cardinals took full advantage and scored four runs on two hits after batting around.  Noah Campanelli led off with a walk before Murphy and Brian Norsen followed suit with free passes of their own.  With the bases loaded and no outs, Michael Beimel worked the count full before lacing a bases-clearing double to center that made it 7-5.  From there, Jack Kelleher drove in a run with a double of his own to give the Cardinals a three-run cushion before the Engineers could retire the side.

After giving a run back in the bottom of the fifth, Fisher put up another crooked number in the sixth with three more runs on four more hits including RBI-singles by Duffy and Kelleher that made it 11-6.

Leading by five runs, Fisher worked a scoreless bottom of the sixth thanks to an inning-ending double play with the bases loaded from Logan Persse before coming to bat in the top of the seventh where the Cardinals tacked on another run following a single by Beimel to make it 12-6.

RPI managed to get a run back in the home half of the inning, but was unable to get off the field quickly in the top of the eighth as Fisher sent eight more hitters to the dish and scored three more runs on two hits with Murphy and Norsen each pushing a run across to make it 15-7.

Holding an eight-run edge, Fisher was able to get two quick outs before RPI engineered a rally that resulted in two runs before the Cardinals could retire the side. 

Alec Teska started on the mound for Fisher and allowed three runs on four hits over three innings of work.  Russell Dunlap (1-0) made his Fisher debut and let in two unearned runs over an inning of work to earn the win while Connor McHugh surrendered one unearned run over an inning.  Kenneth Westbrook made an appearance on the mound before Persse closed out the sixth and Ryan O'Mara handled the Engineers in the seventh inning after allowing one run and striking out one.  Michael Poirier faced seven batters in the eighth and gave up two runs in all.

Fisher accounted for 13 hits in the win with Beimel going 2-for-5 with four RBI, a double and a walk.  Murphy was 3-for-4 with a home run, a double, two RBI, four runs scored and a pair of walks while Lemire and Kelleher had two hits apiece.

The Cardinals will return to action at 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, March 5th when they travel to Wayne, N.J. to begin a three-game set with William Paterson.