PITTSFORD, N.Y. - The St. John Fisher College softball team walked off twice on Saturday in an Empire 8 Conference doubleheader against Utica University, thanks to a two-out grand slam in the first game and a run-rule victory in the nightcap.

The Cardinals (12-16, 8-2 E8) overcame a sizable deficit in the early contest and walked off over the Pioneers, 10-7, on a two-out, opposite-field grand slam by Mari Spitz. In the late game, Fisher plated at least one run in every inning, including a five-spot in the fifth, for an 11-3 mercy-rule win over Utica (12-20, 4-6 E8).

With an 8-2 Empire 8 record, the Cardinals become the second team to officially clinch a berth into the 2022 E8 Championships.

St. John Fisher 10, Utica 7
After padding their lead with three runs in the top of the seventh, the Pioneers were only three outs away from securing a six-run win over the Cardinals. However, the Fisher bats exploded to life and, with a bit of help from Utica's unsteady infield, were able to complete a miraculous comeback.

The inning began with a bang, perhaps foreshadowing the finish, as Allie Klonowski slugged her team-leading ninth home run. The next three batters all singled, and a walk issued to Becca Irizarry loaded the bases with no outs.

A ground ball hit directly to Utica first baseman Kaitlyn Paul could have resulted in a timely double play. But Paul chose to take the easy out at first and allowed a run to score, making it 7-4 in favor of the Pioneers. First-year left fielder Maddie Donlin followed with a two-run base hit, reducing the deficit to just a single run at 7-6.

Utica pitcher Kylie Murray picked up a key strikeout against Abby Flakus, using some high heat to induce a swing-and-miss for out No. 2. Third baseman Abbigayle Jepsen then had a chance to end the game in the following at-bat but could not cleanly field a grounder hit to the left side of the infield.

After watching Klonowski leave the yard in her first plate appearance of the inning, Murray walked the junior center fielder on four consecutive pitches, preferring instead to face Spitz with two outs and the bases loaded. Fisher's first-year catcher came through with her biggest hit of the season, going opposite field to right-center for the walk-off grand slam.

St. John Fisher 11, Utica 3
Riding the momentum from the thrilling finish in Game 1, the Cardinals cruised to an 11-3 victory in the late contest. Not only did Fisher outhit the Pioneers, 14-to-6, but five batters also logged multiple hits, and four drove in multiple runs.

Knotted at 1-all in the second, Irizarry gave the Cardinals the lead for good with an RBI double, one of five extra-base hits for Fisher. Spitz added RBIs in the next two innings, including a fourth-inning sac fly that extended the lead to 6-1.

Utica cut the lead in half, 6-3, in the top of the fifth, but it was too little, too late. All nine Fisher batters came to the plate in the home half of the frame as the Cardinals tacked on five runs on five hits and two free passes. Allison Rogowski and Emma Smith highlighted the hit parade with a pair of two-run base knocks.

In the pitcher's circle, Cassidy Ormond received a complete-game victory, her fifth win of the season. Ormond surrendered three runs on six hits and four strikeouts.

In their final home doubleheader of the 2022 regular season, St. John Fisher will host Russell Sage College for a pair of Empire 8 games on Sunday, April 24 at 12:00 p.m. Before the first pitch, the Cardinals will recognize seniors Abby Flakus and Allison Rogowski as part of the team's Senior Day ceremonies.