BROCKPORT, N.Y. - The St. John Fisher University baseball team relied on a dominant pitching performance and a clutch bat from Jackson Frey to beat Brockport, 5-1, on Wednesday afternoon at Clark V. Whited Field in Empire 8 action. The Cardinals improve to 24-6 (13-2) on the season with the win.
Fisher totaled eight hits, in a tighter contest than the Cardinals' recent outings. Frey was the offensive star, going 2-for-4 with a double, a home run, and three RBI. Jacob Penafeather added a hit and an RBI double in the fourth inning, while Noah Pohrte drove in a run with a sacrifice fly. Hunter Fales, Mario Cubello, Jordan Perry, and Ryan Vanderlip each contributed a hit apiece as the Cardinals spread the offense throughout the lineup.
On the mound, Ethan Fulton (3-1) was outstanding once again, tossing four scoreless innings while allowing just three hits and striking out five without issuing a walk. Dylan Becker came on in relief and worked two clean innings, striking out one and holding Brockport scoreless while allowing no hits. Nathan Benjamin finished the game with three strong innings, allowing just one run — scored on a double-play grounder in the seventh — en route to picking up his second save of the season. Combined, Fisher's pitching staff allowed just one earned run on six hits across nine innings, walking nobody.
How It Happened
Fisher got on the board quickly in the first inning. Jordan Perry singled and Jack Griffin drew a walk to put two runners on with two outs. Jackson Frey then drove a two-run double to center field to score both runners and stake the Cardinals to a 2-0 lead.
The second and third innings were scoreless for Fisher, though Jacob Penafeather laid down a sacrifice bunt in the second to move Hunter Fales to second before the inning ended stranded.
The Cardinals broke through again in the fourth. Mario Cubello singled and Hunter Fales drew a walk to put runners on first and second. Penafeather then doubled to left field to score Cubello and push Fales to third, and Noah Pohrte followed with a sacrifice fly to center to make it 4-0.
Fisher added an insurance run in the sixth when Frey led off the inning by sending a solo home run to right field off reliever Ben Yerina, pushing the lead to 5-0.
Brockport got on the board in the seventh inning against Nathan Benjamin. Matthew Coon led off with a double and Cole Grazioplene bunt-singled him to third, but Benjamin induced James Dixon into a double-play groundball that scored Coon for the only Brockport run of the game. Benjamin then got a groundout to end the inning and kept the Cardinals firmly in control, before setting down Brockport in order in the eighth and ninth.
Fisher had a runner on base in the eighth inning when Ryan Vanderlip singled, but Brockport's Ben Yerina stranded him and finished the final four innings allowing only that one sixth-inning Frey homer.
Game Notes
- Ethan Fulton improved to 3-1 on the season, striking out five over four scoreless innings without a walk.
- Nathan Benjamin retired six of the last seven batters he faced.
- Neither team committed an error in the game
Up Next
The Cardinals continue their stretch of Empire 8 play as they host Russell Sage at Dugan Yard. First pitch on Friday, April 24, is set for 3:30 p.m.