BALTIMORE, MD - The St. John Fisher University baseball team opened it's 2026 season with a win and a loss against two nationally ranked opponents. The Cardinals dropped the first contest to Baldwin Wallace, 6-5, and beat the #11 Johns Hopkins Blue Jays, 9-6.
GAME ONE: Baldwin Wallace 6, St. John Fisher 5
Junior Jack Griffin led the Fisher offense with two hits and three RBIs, including a clutch two-run double in the seventh inning and an RBI single in the ninth. Brendan Bucello added two hits, highlighted by a solo home run in the fourth, while Mario Cubello recorded two hits and drove in a run. Jordan Perry also finished with a pair of hits for the Cardinals.
On the mound, Ethan Fulton got the start and allowed three runs over 4.1 innings. Matt Culjak (0-1) worked 3.2 innings in relief, striking out one, and Justin Christensen closed the game with a scoreless ninth, striking out three.
How It Happened
Baldwin Wallace struck early with two runs in the first inning and added another in the second to take a 3-0 lead.
Fisher broke through in the fourth when Bucello launched a solo homer to left field, cutting the deficit to 3-1.
The Yellow Jackets extended their lead in the seventh after a two-run home run from Sean Kolenich made it 5-1. The Cardinals responded immediately in the bottom half of the inning. After loading the bases, Cubello singled to center to bring home the first run of the frame. Griffin then delivered a two-run double down the left-field line to trim the deficit to 5-4 and swing momentum back to Fisher.
Baldwin Wallace answered with an RBI single in the eighth to push the lead back to two at 6-4.
In the ninth, Fisher mounted one final rally. Jacob Penafeather singled and later scored on Griffin's RBI single to right field, cutting the deficit to 6-5 and bringing the tying run into scoring position. However, the Cardinals' comeback bid ended on a groundout to third.
Game Notes
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Fisher and Baldwin Wallace each recorded 10 hits.
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Griffin's three RBIs led all Cardinals.
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Bucello finished 2-for-5 with a double and a home run.
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Christensen struck out three in a scoreless final inning.
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Fisher left eight runners on base.
GAME TWO: St. John Fisher 9, Johns Hopkins 6
Mario Cubello led the Fisher offense with three hits, two RBIs, and two runs scored. Austin Droge reached base three times, scored three runs, and doubled, while Jordan Perry added two hits, including a key RBI double in the eighth inning. Jack Griffin drove in two runs, and Brendan Bucello chipped in an RBI as the Cardinals totaled eight hits and drew 12 walks.
On the mound, Robert Leach (1-0) earned the win with four strong innings of relief, allowing just one unearned run while striking out three. Nathan Benjamin recorded the final five outs to earn his first save of the year. Fisher's bullpen combined to limit Johns Hopkins to just three hits in the contest.
How It Happened
Fisher wasted no time jumping on the Blue Jays. The Cardinals scored two runs in the first inning behind an RBI single from Perry and a hit-by-pitch with the bases loaded. Fisher added two more in the second, highlighted by a sacrifice fly from Griffin and a wild pitch that brought home another run to make it 4-0.
After Johns Hopkins responded with a three-run homer in the bottom of the second to cut the deficit to one, Fisher answered immediately. The Cardinals plated three runs in the third inning, drawing four walks in the frame, including back-to-back bases-loaded free passes to Cubello and Griffin, followed by an RBI walk from Bucello to stretch the lead to 7-3.
Leach took over in the third and settled the game, tossing four effective innings without allowing a hit and keeping the Blue Jays off balance.
Perry delivered a clutch RBI double down the left-field line in the eighth to extend the lead to 8-4. After Johns Hopkins pushed across two runs in the bottom half to make it 8-6, Fisher responded again in the ninth. Cubello lined an RBI single to center to score Frey and provide an insurance run.
Benjamin closed the door in the ninth, stranding a runner at second to secure the 9-6 victory.
Game Notes
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Fisher scored nine runs despite recording just eight hits, drawing 12 walks in the win.
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Cubello finished 3-for-4 with two RBIs and two runs scored.
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Droge scored three times and reached base three times.
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Leach earned the win with four no-hit innings of relief.
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Fisher defeated a nationally ranked opponent for its first win of the season.
Up Next
The Cardinals head to Florida, for their spring break week of games. They open up play at the RussMatt Invitational on February 27, with a noon match-up against Vermont State-Castleton.
