PITTSFORD, N.Y. – The St. John Fisher baseball team (12-12 overall, 7-3 Empire 8) pulled back to .500 on the season with a 10-6 victory over the Utica Pioneers (11-7-1, 6-3 Empire 8) to open a three-game weekend set on Saturday at Dugan Yard. 

How It Happened 

Ethan Fulton matched his season high with eight strikeouts and recorded his team-leading fourth pitching victory of the season, including his third in Empire 8 play. He allowed four runs, none of them earned, on four hits and two walks in five innings of work on the mound. 

A double by Brendan Bucello and a groundout by Jack Griffn gave the Cardinals a 2-0 lead in the first inning. 

The Cardinals extended their lead to 6-1 in the bottom of the third, as Mario Cubello homered, Jordan Perry drove in one with a sacrifice fly and Andrew Roman plated two with a double. In the fourth inning, Jimmy McCardle came across to score to extend Fisher's lead to 7-1 when Utica's first baseman dropped a pick-off throw. 

After Utica cut Fisher's lead to 7-3 in the top of the fifth, the Cardinals got one back in the bottom half on a Benjamin Huckans single to right. Fisher went ahead 10-3 in the sixth on an RBI double by Griffin and an RBI single by Roman. 

Anthony Lang pitched the ninth inning for Fisher and struck out each of the three batters he faced. 

Up Next

The Cardinals finish the weekend series against Utica with a doubleheader on Sunday. First pitch is set for 1 p.m.