CLERMONT, Fla. – Slugger Emily McManus had another big day at the plate as the St. John Fisher softball team beat Simmons 8-2 before suffering a 9-7 extra-inning loss to Eastern on Thursday. 

McManus blasted two more home runs to push her career total to 33 as she moves closer to passing Sarah Kubik (37 homers from 2016-19) for the program record. McManus, already with five homers on the year, has gone deep in each of the four days the Cardinals have played during their spring trip in Florida.

Game 1: St. John Fisher 8, Simmons 2

McManus ripped a home run to right field in the second inning that gave the Cardinals an early 1-0 lead. Fisher kept the momentum rolling in the third, as senior infielder Madi Rose scored on a Sharks throwing error, extending the lead to 2-0.

Simmons would respond in the bottom of the third, as senior utility player Piper Kinney followed up a walk and a double with a single up the middle, driving in both runners and tying the game at two apiece. After a sacrifice bunt moved Kinney into scoring position, junior pitcher CC Holmes got out of trouble by retiring the next two batters.

After sophomore infielder Maddy Schubach walked to lead off the fourth, Holmes got both runs back on one mighty swing, sending a 1-0 pitch deep to left center to restore the Cardinals' 4-2 lead. It was Holmes' first home run of the season, and her first since March 27, 2024, at RIT after missing the 2025 season due to injury. She would take this momentum to the other side of the ball, holding the Sharks lineup hitless for the remainder of the contest.

Fisher was not done scoring, however, as senior infielder Leah Fron joined the party in the fifth. Freshman infielder Sarah Gross singled to begin the inning. Junior infielder Taylor Shackleton hit a ground ball to third base, but a throwing error allowed both Cardinals to reach safely. Two outs and another Schubach walk later, Fron was set up with a bases-loaded two-out situation, and she delivered. The senior ripped a double down the left-field line, scoring all three runners and stretching the Cardinal lead to 7-2.

McManus tacked on another run with a bases-loaded walk in the top of the sixth, and Holmes retired the last six batters she faced, locking down an 8-2 Fisher win. The junior was excellent in the circle, pitching the full seven innings, allowing only two runs and striking out three, and scattering three hits and five walks.

Game Notes

• Gross has multiple hits in six of her first seven collegiate games, flying out of the gate to a .520 average with nine runs scored.

• Shackleton has scored at least one run in each of Fisher's first seven games, recording an RBI in five of the seven.

• Fron's three RBI tied her career high set against Houghton on March 27, 2025.

• Holmes has recorded multiple hits and an RBI in three of her last five games. She also pitched the full seven innings in two of those three contests.

• The Cardinals have now started 6-1 in three of the past six seasons.

Game 2: St. John Fisher 7, Eastern University 9

The Eagles opened the scoring in the top of the first inning when Emily Trzonkowski lifted a sacrifice fly to second base, allowing Ainsley O'Donnell to score. McManus evened the score in the bottom of the second with a solo home run, her second of the day.

The score remained tied until the bottom of the third. Rose led off the inning with a four-pitch walk before Gross tangled, putting runners in scoring position. McManus then drew a four-pitch walk with one out to load the bases. Senior catcher Isabella Mahar stepped to the plate and delivered a single to right-center field, scoring two runs and giving the Cardinals the lead.

In the top of the fifth, the Eagles cut the deficit to one when O'Donnell doubled to left-center field to drive in a run. With one out and runners on the corners, Maryanna Nagle singled to right field, scoring two runs to make it 4-3. With two outs, the Eagles added another run when Trzonkowski doubled to right-center field, extending their lead to two.

In the bottom of the second inning, with one out, Gross singled to right field. Shackleton followed with a double to center field to put both runners in scoring position. McManus then walked for the second time in the game to load the bases. Mahar lifted a sacrifice fly to center field, cutting the deficit to one.

The Eagles pushed their lead back to two in the next inning when O'Donnell doubled to right-center field to drive in a run. The score remained unchanged until the bottom of the seventh.

With one out, Shackleton singled to right field before McManus doubled to left-center field, moving the runners to second and third. Mahar then delivered a double to left-center field, scoring both Shackleton and McManus to tie the game and send it into extra innings.

In the top of the eighth inning, Becca Taylor doubled to left-center field to score Gia Gordon. O'Donnell followed with a sacrifice fly that brought Taylor home, extending the lead to two runs. Later in the inning, Maura Yoos singled to left field and eventually came around to score, adding the final run for the Eagles.

With one last chance in the bottom of the eighth, Holmes grounded out to shortstop, moving Julia Hollister to third base. In the next at-bat, Rose singled to shortstop to score Hollister, but the late run was not enough as the Cardinals fell to the Eagles.

Game Notes

• Junior pitcher Molly Kuhn pitched all eight innings, setting a career-high with eight strikeouts.

• Freshman Gross has recorded two hits in seven out of eight games this season

Up Next

The Cardinals will face Susquehanna University and Wartburg College on Friday at Hancock Park in Clermont, Fla.