PITTSFORD, N.Y. – The St. John Fisher College softball team divided a pair of Empire 8 Conference games against Russell Sage College on Sunday afternoon, as the Cardinals pummeled the Gators, 9-0, before dropping a close 4-2 bout.

Before the first pitch, Fisher recognized infielder Abby Flakus and designated player Allison Rogowski as part of the team's Senior Day ceremonies at the softball complex.

Guaranteed a berth in the upcoming Empire 8 Championships, the Cardinals (13-17) are now 9-3 against conference opponents with two games remaining against Keuka College. Playoff hopes for the Gators (11-17) hang in the balance with a 4-5 E8 record.

St. John Fisher 9, Russel Sage 0 (6 innings)
Fisher brought out the bats early and often in the opening game and outhit the Gators, 12-to-3. Allie Klonowski was the hottest hitter in the game, as the junior center fielder led all players in hits (3), RBIs (3), home runs (2), and runs scored (2). She left the yard twice on a solo shot in the fourth and a game-ending two-run dinger in the sixth.

With 11 home runs thus far in 2022, Klonowski moved into a three-way tie for third place on Fisher's single-season leaderboard.

The Cardinals grabbed the lead in the home half of the first inning. After Amalia DeMartino led off with a base hit, Maddie Donlin roped an RBI two-bagger over the right fielder's head and to the wall. Donlin, who moved up an additional 90 feet thanks to a Sage error, then doubled Fisher's lead by trotting home on a Flakus single. The Gators were lucky to escape the inning alive, as the Cardinals loaded the bases with only one out but could not push across another run.

After a loud start, the pitchers began to settle in and tossed back-to-back scoreless innings in the second and third. Ainsley Evanetski, who earned a complete-game victory, retired the side in order with three punchouts in those frames. Evanetski went on to collect seven strikeouts in a complete-game win.

Sage 4, St. John Fisher 2
Unlike the lopsided opener, the series finale was a much different story. Although Fisher scored first on an RBI single from Klonowski in the bottom of the first, the bats cooled off in the remaining innings. The Cardinals stranded 10 runners on base in the nightcap and left the bases loaded without a run in the bottom of the fourth.

A pair of two-out runs in the fifth gave the Gators a brief lead. Mari Spitz came through with a little two-out magic of her own in the bottom of the inning, as she evened the score at 2-all with an RBI base hit to left field that plated Donlin.

The stalemate lasted until the seventh. Sage took advantage of an errant throw from right field and two passed balls to drive in the go-ahead runs. The Cardinals brought the tying run to the plate in the bottom of the seventh, but relief pitcher Makayla Lindsey caught a lucky break by getting Rogowski out on a hard-hit liner at first base and inducing a fly ball out from Spitz.

Cassidy Ormond was saddled with the loss in a complete-game effort. She struck out a game-high four and was only charged with three earned runs.

The 2022 Empire 8 slate concludes next Saturday, April 30, when the Cardinals visit Keuka College in Keuka Park, New York. The doubleheader is set to begin at 1:00 p.m.