WAYNESBURG, PA. – The St. John Fisher University baseball team earned a pair of victories over Waynesburg on Saturday afternoon. The 9-3 and 8-0 wins push the Cardinals record to 9-4 on the season.
Game One - St. John Fisher 8, Waynesburg 3
Fisher finished with eight runs on 13 hits and drew six walks in a balanced offensive performance. Jack Griffin led the way, going 3-for-4 with a home run, two RBI's, and a walk while scoring twice. Jackson Frey added two hits, including a triple, and drove in two runs. Mario Cubello launched a three-run home run and scored twice, while Jacob Penafeather collected two hits and an RBI. Austin Droge, Jordan Perry, Brendan Bucello, Scott Sleurs, and Noah Pohrte also recorded hits as the Cardinals produced runs throughout the lineup.
On the mound, Robert Leach worked 4.1 innings, and earned the win. Leach allowed three runs (one earned) on four hits while striking out three. Nathan Benjamin followed Leach in relief, tossing 4.2 scoreless innings while allowing three hits and striking out one to close out the game.
How It Happened
Fisher jumped out to an early lead in the first inning. Griffin opened the scoring with a solo home run before Frey delivered an RBI triple later in the frame to give the Cardinals a 2-0 advantage.
Waynesburg answered with a run in the second inning, but the Cardinals broke the game open in the third. Griffin drove in a run with an RBI single before Cubello launched a three-run home run to extend the lead to 5-1.
The Cardinals added another run in the fourth when Penafeather delivered an RBI single to score Bucello and make it 6-2. Waynesburg plated a run in the fifth to trim the lead to 6-3, but Fisher's pitching staff shut the door from there.
Fisher added insurance late, scoring once in the eighth and once in the ninth to push the lead to 8-3 before Benjamin closed out the victory over the final innings.
Game Notes
Griffin finished 3-for-4 with a home run, two RBIs, two runs scored, and a walk.
Cubello hit a three-run home run and scored twice.
Frey recorded two hits, including a triple, and drove in two runs.
Penafeather collected two hits and an RBI.
Fisher totaled 13 hits and six walks in the win.
Game Two (7 inn.) - St. John Fisher 9, Waynesburg 0
Fisher collected 11 hits and drew seven walks in the victory. Jack Griffin led the offense with three hits, including two doubles, and an RBI. Jacob Penafeather finished 2-for-2 with a double, three RBIs, a walk, and a stolen base, while Jordan Perry added a double and drove in two runs. Noah Pohrte recorded a hit and two RBIs, and Brendan Bucello scored three runs while adding a double and an RBI as the Cardinals produced runs throughout the middle innings.
On the mound, Ethan Fulton earned the victory on the mound. Fulton's start on the mound ended with 4.1 scoreless innings, striking out five while allowing four hits. Matt Culjak, Caleb Clark and Justin Christensen combined for 2.2 innings and didn't allow a hit to close out the shutout.
How It Happened
Fisher opened the scoring in the second inning. After Brendan Bucello reached base and Hunter Fales doubled, Noah Pohrte worked a bases-loaded walk to bring home the game's first run and give the Cardinals a 1-0 lead.
The Cardinals broke the game open in the fifth inning with a six-run rally. Jackson Frey led off the inning with a triple before Penafeather delivered a two-run double to extend the lead. Pohrte followed with an RBI single, and Perry later added a two-run double. Griffin capped the inning with an RBI single to push the advantage to 7-0.
Fisher added to its lead in the sixth inning when Penafeather drove in Bucello with an RBI single to make it 8-0.
The Cardinals tacked on another run in the seventh as Bucello doubled down the left-field line to score Griffin, extending the lead to 9-0.
The Fisher pitching staff handled the rest, holding Waynesburg scoreless the entire afternoon to secure the shutout victory.
Game Notes
Penafeather recorded three RBI's and a double
Griffin tallied three hits, including a double
Bucello scored three runs and added an RBI double
Fisher pitchers combined to allow just four hits in the shoutout
Up Next
St. John Fisher baseball heads back to Rochester, NY. They will play the University of Rochester on Monday, March 16. First pitch is set for 5:00 PM
