Softball | 3/1/2022 10:00:00 AM

PITTSFORD, N.Y. – Fresh off earning its fifth straight trip to the NCAA Division III Softball Championship in 2021, the nationally-ranked St. John Fisher College softball team will begin its quest for the program's 12th overall appearance in the national tournament as the Cardinals, who are ranked 15th in the initial National Fastpitch Coaches Association poll, begin the 2022 season on Friday, March 4th at the NFCA Leadoff Classic in Columbus, Ga.

Head coach Bari Mance returns a wealth of talent and experience this year after the Cardinals led the Empire 8 in batting average (.338), home runs (32), slugging percentage (.499), earned run average (1.86), shutouts (12) and opponent's batting average (.221) a season ago.

Despite losing All-American Emily Trotman to graduation, the Cardinals are set to bring back three All-Conference players from last year and two All-Region selections including junior Allie Klonowski who was named First-Team All-Region after a breakout sophomore campaign.  Over 38 starts, the outfielder ranked second on the team and was ninth in the Empire 8 with a .400 batting average.  The Buffalo native, who was named First-Team All-Empire 8 in 2021, finished the year with 46 hits, 22 extra base knocks including a team-leading 10 homers and accounted for an Empire 8-high 38 RBI overall. 

Klonowski is one of the more imposing hitters in the region after belting two home runs in a game twice last season while her .783 slugging percentage was the second-highest in the conference overall.

 Senior Abby Flakus is also back after being named First-Team All-Conference in 2021 for the second time in the last three seasons.

The Pawcatuck, Conn. native ranked fifth on the team with a .353 batting average after registering 24 hits in all including six doubles, one home run and 15 runs batted in.  A patient hitter, Flakus also drew nine walks in 68 at-bats against just five strikeouts.

Fisher will also rely heavily on the power and experience of Allison Rogowski as the senior finished the 2021 campaign sporting a .298 batting average.  Over 35 games played last year, Rogowski had 28 hits in all including 10 that went for extra bases while her 21 RBI were among the most on the roster. 

Rogowski, who is a career .286 hitter, is also one of Fisher's more capable infielders after finishing the year with a .979 field percentage.  She was credited with 137 putouts and was a part of two double plays.   

With Maddie Klidonas, Sammie Torlish, Megan Kreger, Rachel Evans and Maria Marcera having moved on, Mance will have several spots to fill in the lineup, but will have the benefit of eight returners ready to fill the void with Emma Smith, Kenzie Bowerman, Grace Mroczka, Clare Boegel, Maddie Nadrich, Becca Irizarry, Ava Mills and Kelly Cournoyer all vying for playing time.

In the circle, the Cardinals will boast perhaps the top pitcher in the league again this year as Jess Patterson is set to toe the rubber after a sophomore season that saw her named First-Team All-Region.

A First-Team All-Conference selection last year, Patterson finished the year with a 16-4 overall record and a 2.17 earned run average, which ranked fourth in the conference. 

The Rensselaer native led the team and ranked second in the Empire 8 with 127 strikeouts, 15 complete games and six combined shutouts.  The righty held opposing hitters to a paltry .202 batting average and pitched her first-career no-hitter against Utica College in the Empire 8 Championship.

Patterson isn't the only capable pitcher on the roster, however, as left-hander Jenna Leydecker looked sharp over six appearances last year after allowing just one earned run over seven innings of work.

Mance, who was named the Empire 8's Coach of the Year in 2021, is also excited for the potential of several promising newcomers – many of who were named All-Greater Rochester and All-State in the high school ranks.  Fisher is pleased to welcome Amalia DeMartino, Ainsley Evanetski, Cassidy Ormond, Liv Godley, Maddie Donlin, Tori LoPresto, Abby Parks, Marion Leskovar, Cassidy Evanetski, Maddie Herdlein, Mari Spitz and Lexi Wheeler.

It all gets underway on Friday as Fisher will take on No. 3 Texas-Lutheran, Claremont-Mudd Scripps, Randolph-Macon, Coe, No. 18 Belhaven and No. 8 Salisbury as part of the NFCA Leadoff Classic in Georgia from March 4-6th. Following the tournament, Fisher will travel an hour north to face the LaGrange College Panthers on March 8th.
 
After the Cardinals migrate back home, the team will enjoy its home opener against crosstown rival, No. 8 University of Rochester on March 23rd.
 
Later in the week, the team will hit the road for four straight road contests. Fisher will take on Oswego State on Saturday, March 26th and then travel north to Clarkson University for a double header with the Golden Knights the next afternoon. Following the long weekend matchups, the Cardinals will come back to Rochester to meet with RIT on Tuesday, March 29th before finishing up the road trip at Keuka College - the team's first Empire 8 matchup of the year – on Friday, April 1st.
 
The next day, Fisher will start a four-game home stand starting with Elmira College in an Empire 8 matchup on April 2nd before squaring off with regional foes Ithaca College on April 3rd and SUNY Cortland on April 5th.  Fisher will round out the week with a date with the reigning conference champion Alfred University on April 8th.
 
Over the following week, the Cardinals will hit the road again for five games as they take on Houghton College in an Empire 8 matchup on April 9th, SUNY Brockport on April 13th, Buffalo State on April 14th, Nazareth College in a conference matchup on April 16th and finally finish the road trip at Fredonia on April 19th.
 
With just four games left in the regular season, Fisher returns home to the Softball Complex to take on Utica College on April 23rd in an Empire 8 matchup before the Cardinals close out their season with a senior day matchup against Russell Sage on April 24th.
 
The Empire 8 Championship, which will be hosted by the tournament's top-seed, will be held the following week.
 
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