SCHENECTADY, N.Y.- The St. John Fisher University baseball team's bid at the Empire 8 conference championship came up short on Saturday evening, as Russell Sage College defeated the Cardinals, 6-2, in the nightcap of the 2026 Empire 8 Conference Championship Tournament at Central Park. Despite a gutsy effort following the afternoon victory over the same opponent, Fisher was unable to sustain the momentum as Sage's offense wore down the Cardinal bullpen with small ball and timely hitting.
In the 3-1, game one victory, Ethan Fulton was masterful from the first pitch to the last, going the distance in a complete game gem to keep the Cardinals' tournament run alive. Fisher stands at 30-12 overall.
Game One: St. John Fisher 3, Russell Sage 1
Ethan Fulton was the story, throwing all nine innings against a Sage lineup that entered the game at 35-5 and ranked 23rd in the nation. He allowed just five hits and one earned run, inducing 16 groundball outs while walking two and hitting two batters. His command was extraordinary all afternoon, keeping Sage off-balance throughout and strand multiple runners in key moments.
Offensively, Fisher did just enough against Sage starter Xavier Garcia and reliever Tyler Murray. Jack Griffin provided the biggest blow of the game, driving a solo home run with two outs in the sixth inning to push the lead to 3-0. Jordan Perry went 2-for-4 with a walk and a run scored, while Ryan Vanderlip delivered a clutch two-out RBI single in the second inning to score Jacob Penafeather and make it 2-0. Mario Cubello drove in the first run with a single to center in the first inning, and Griffin also added a double earlier in the game to finish 2-for-4 on the afternoon.
How It Happened
Fisher struck first in the first inning against Garcia. Ryan Vanderlip led off and flied out, but Jordan Perry singled and Jack Griffin drew a walk to put two runners on with one out. Mario Cubello then singled to center to score Perry and give the Cardinals a 1-0 lead. Jackson Frey and Brendan Bucello both struck out to end the inning, but the early damage was done.
Fulton navigated a two-on, no-out jam in the bottom of the first, getting Karpierz to hit into a double play and retiring Grimes on a groundout to escape unscathed.
Fisher made it 2-0 in the second inning with a two-out rally. Jacob Penafeather was hit by a pitch, Noah Pohrte flied out to keep him at first, and Ryan Vanderlip delivered a two-out RBI single through the infield. Penafeather scored on the play — aided by an error by Garcia advancing him — to push the lead to 2-0. A wild pitch moved Vanderlip to second and Perry walked to put two on, but Vanderlip stole third and Griffin struck out swinging to end the threat.
Fulton rolled through the middle innings, retiring Sage in order in the second, third, and sixth innings, inducing groundball after groundball. Fisher had chances to add on in the third and fifth — loading the bases in the third with one out before Fales and Penafeather both popped out, and getting runners on first and second in the fifth on a Bucello error-reach and Fales single before stranding them — but Garcia kept the deficit at two through five innings.
Jack Griffin made the most of his shot with two outs in the sixth. After Vanderlip singled and was erased on a Perry double play, Griffin fell behind and then turned on a pitch, driving a solo home run to push the lead to 3-0.
Sage finally broke through in the seventh. Evan Grimes led off with a double and advanced to third on a Kennedy flyout before Collin Casey lifted a sacrifice fly to center to score Grimes and make it 3-1. Fulton then loaded the bases with a Dengler single and a Griffin walk, but got Chicaway to fly out to end the threat and keep the Cardinals ahead.
Fulton never wavered after that. He induced a double play to escape trouble in the eighth and retired Sage in order in the ninth — including a hit-by-pitch, double play, and groundout — to complete the gutsy complete game victory.
Game Notes
- Fulton went all nine innings, the fifth complete game of his career.
- Fisher committed zero errors defensively, turning three double plays behind Fulton to help him navigate trouble.
Game Two: St. John Fisher 2, Russell Sage 6
Fisher managed seven hits on the night but left eight runners on base and were unable to capitalize in key moments. Brendan Bucello delivered the biggest swing of the game, hitting a solo home run in the fourth inning to put the Cardinals ahead 2-1. Jack Griffin drove in the first run with a single in the first, and Ryan Vanderlip went 2-for-4 with a double in the seventh. Hunter Fales added a single, Jacob Penafeather chipped in a hit, and Jordan Perry went 1-for-4, but Fisher's lineup went cold against a Sage pitching staff that stifled the offense from the middle innings on.
On the mound, Colin Barry gave the Cardinals a solid start, working 4.1 innings while allowing two runs and striking out four before running into trouble in the fifth. Brandon Benkovics entered in relief. Benkovics was charged with the loss, allowing four runs on four hits. Benjamin Huckans worked out of a jam in the seventh and threw a clean eighth, and Evan Grimes came on from center field to close out the final two innings for Sage, striking out four of the eight batters he faced.
How It Happened
Fisher jumped on Sage starter Tyler Murray in the first inning. Vanderlip drew a leadoff walk and advanced to second on a wild pitch before Perry flied out. Griffin then delivered an RBI single to score Vanderlip and put the Cardinals up 1-0. Fisher loaded the bases with two outs when Cubello reached on a Karpierz error and Bucello reached on a Dengler error, but Fales grounded into a fielder's choice to strand three runners and end the threat.
Sage responded with their own methodical approach throughout. In the third, Darren Dengler led off with a single and stole second while Connor Griffin struck out. Nick Chicaway grounded out to move Dengler to third, and Nick Irizarry delivered a two-out RBI single to score Dengler and tie the game at 1-1.
Fisher reclaimed the lead in the fourth when Bucello drove a solo home run over the fence leading off with one out to make it 2-1. Fales followed with a single but Penafeather hit into a double play to strand him and end the inning.
Sage tied it again in the fifth against Barry. Dengler once again led off with a single and stole second, and after Barry hit Chicaway and was replaced by Benkovics, Irizarry dropped a sacrifice bunt to advance both runners. A Benkovics wild pitch then scored Dengler to knot the game at 2-2. Chicaway tried to score on the play but was gunned down at home to end the inning.
Sage took the lead for good in the sixth. Anthony Rizzo singled, advanced on a groundout and a wild pitch, and scored on a Jayden Kennedy two-out RBI single to put the Gators ahead 3-2. The Cardinals could not answer, going down in order in the sixth against Murray.
Sage put the game away in the seventh with a three-run frame. Dengler led off for the third consecutive inning with a hit, a wild pitch moved him to second, and a Connor Griffin sacrifice bunt advanced him to third. Nick Chicaway reached on a fielder's choice to score Dengler, and Irizarry singled and advanced to second before Huckans came on for Benkovics. With runners on second and third and two outs, Joseph Karpierz singled sharply to score both for a 6-2 Sage advantage.
Fisher went quietly over the final two innings against Grimes, who struck out four batters and retired the side in order in the ninth to close out the tournament.
Game Notes
- Colin Barry's 4.1 inning start, was his longest outing of the season.
- Bucello's solo home run in the fourth was his third of the season.
Up Next
St. John Fisher will have to wait to see their fate. The NCAA selection show is set for Monday, May 11. Ranked 55th in the NPI heading into today's contests, they will hope to grab one of the last at-large bids to the NCAA tournament.
