PITTSFORD, N.Y. – The St. John Fisher baseball team rode a strong collective pitching effort and timely hitting to a 6-5 victory over Alfred State on Thursday at Dugan Yard. The Cardinals improved to 20-15-1 overall with the midweek non-conference win. 

St. John Fisher 6, Alfred State 5

Alfred State jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning, but the Cardinals answered right back in the bottom half with a run of their own on a Benjamin Huckans sacrifice fly to right field. 

The Pioneers scored an unearned run in the second inning, extending their lead to 3-1. In the bottom of the third, Fisher plated four runs to take a 5-3 lead. A Matthew Arnold single and a Jake Crantz sacrifice fly both drove in one run. Dominic Guccia knocked in two with a double down the left field line. 

Ryan Vanderlip doubled in the sixth to drive in the sixth and final run for Fisher.

The Cardinals used 10 pitchers in the victory. Luke Horton started on the mound, going 1.2 innings and allowing three hits. Conner Walker (1.1 innings) followed and allowed no hits. 

Dylan Becker, Nathan Benjamin, Nathaniel Kilburn and Jeffrey Kraus all came in with base runners on and escaped with no damage. Kraus earned his first career save with 2.1 innings of relief in a one-run contest. Kraus struck out two and allowed one hit in his shutout appearance. 

Up Next

The Cardinals hit the road to play Houghton on Friday in the opener of their final Empire 8 Conference series of the regular season. First pitch is set for 6 p.m.