PITTSFORD, N.Y. – Senior catcher Mari Spitz nearly hit for the home run cycle while powering the St. John Fisher softball team to a doubleheader sweep of Nazareth on Wednesday evening at the SJF Softball Complex.
The Cardinals, 23-12 overall and 15-3 in the Empire 8, won the first game 13-2 in five innings and the second 10-4. With the victories, they pulled back ahead of Utica for first place in the conference standings.
Nazareth dropped to 15-10 overall and 9-5 in league play.
By the time the doubleheader ended, Spitz lacked just one type of home run – one of the two-run variety. She hit a grand slam in the first game before smacking solo and three-run homers in the second.
Now Fisher's leader with 13 home runs and 42 RBI – both career highs – Spitz had five hits in seven at-bats with 10 RBI over the two games. She drove in a single-game career-high six runs in the first game and had her third multi-home run performance of the season in the second contest.
Game 1: St. John Fisher 13, Nazareth 2 (5 innings)
A walk by senior Maddie Donlin and a single by sophomore Taylor Shackleton got the Cardinals' offense in business with one out in the bottom half of the first inning. Donlin scored on a double by Emily McManus, who crossed the plate moments later on Spitz's two-run single to center that gave the Cardinals a 3-0 lead.
In the second inning, senior Katie Mannis reached on an infield single and later scored from first base on senior Cassidy Evanetski's double to right field.
Nazareth cracked the scoreboard in the third inning on a double to right center off the bat of Kaijah Alexander.
The Cardinals tacked on two more in the fourth to push their lead to 6-1. Junior Madi Rose doubled home Evanetski, who reached on a one-out walk, and scored later in the inning on a passed ball.
After Nazareth got a run back in the top of the fifth, the Cardinals erupted for seven in the bottom of the frame to secure the mercy-rule victory.
Mannis roped a run-scoring single to left center and came across to score when Donlin was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded. Later in the inning, Rose scored when McManus drew a bases-loaded walk before Spitz ended the game with a grand slam way over the left field fence.
Senior Ainsley Evanetski earned the victory, her 10th of the season. She struck out nine batters while pitching all five innings.
Game 2: St. John Fisher 10, Nazareth 4
After Nazareth scored one in the opening frame, the Cardinals tied the game in the bottom half on Shackleton's single down the left field line and took a 3-1 lead with a two-run second. Cassidy Evanetski drove in senior Amalia DeMartino with a single to left and scored from first on Rose's double over the center fielder's head.
Nazareth pushed across a run in the third and another in the fourth to tie the game at three.
The Cardinals took control with a five-run bottom half of the fourth, with three coming on Spitz's blast over the right-center field fence. Donlin (sacrifice fly) and McManus (single) drove in the other two runs in the inning.
Evanetski homered in the fifth inning, and Spitz, who had three hits in the game, drilled her third of the day in the sixth.
Senior Cassidy Ormond earned credit for her 11th pitching victory of the season. She struck out a season-high 10 batters while pitching all seven innings.
Up Next
The Cardinals face SUNY Poly at 3 and 5 p.m. on Thursday at the SJF Softball Complex.
