St. John Fisher 9, Utica 3 - Game One Box Score

St. John Fisher 10, Utica 0 -  Game Two Box Score

The Utica College softball team rallied late, scoring three runs in the final three innings, but were unable to complete the comeback in a 9-3, game one, loss to visiting St. John Fisher College in Empire 8 Conference action at Greenman Field Saturday.

Senior centerfielder Kim Martin (Prospect, NY/Holland Patent) and junior shortstop Jess Anson (Utica, NY/Proctor) each posted two hits for the Pioneers, while sophomore first baseman Bridgette Plummer (Saratoga Springs, NY/Schuylerville) drove in a team-high two runs with her lone hit of the contest in the bottom of the seventh inning.

Fisher's first six hitters posted two hits and the Cardinals used 14 total hits to improve their record to 21-6 overall and 5-2 in the Empire 8. The visitors jumped out to a quick 6-0 lead over the course of the first four innings. The Cardinals received a major boost in the top of the second inning when sophomore Leanne Merchant led off the inning with a solo home run, her sixth of the year, and freshman Jennifer Martin followed that with a two run poke later in the inning to give Fisher a 3-0 lead.

Merchant added an RBI double in the top of the third inning and she eventually scored on a Utica error to give Fisher a 5-0 lead after two full innings. Jamie Harmmon added an RBI single in the top of the fourth to give the Cardinal's their six run lead.

Utica freshman Rebecca Ornstein (Howell, NJ/Howell High School) ripped an RBI single up the middle, scoring Anson, to cut the Fisher lead to 6-1 in the bottom of the fifth. However, the Cardinals kept the pressure on and scored three runs over the course of the sixth and seventh innings to seal the victory.

Sophomore pitcher Danielle Leone struck out four in the complete game victory for Fisher. Junior Heather Kingsbury (Williamson, NY/Williamson) started on the mound for the Pioneers and gave up seven hits and four earned runs in 3.1 innings of work. Sophomore Stephanie Romanow (New Hartford, NY/New Hartford) came on in relief for Utica and struck out three in 3.2 innings.

In game two, Fisher scored one run in the top of the first on one hit and two Utica errors. Later, in the top of the third, the Cardinals managed to score another run off a double to the gap and another UC error as they took a 2-0 lead.

In the bottom of the inning, the Pioneers would tally two hits however could not muster up a run. The Cardinals came back in the top of the fourth with a three-run inning on three hits, including two doubles and led 5-0.

After two scoreless innings by both teams, St. John Fisher put together a five-run, seventh inning and had a commanding 10-0 lead with only three outs needed for the victory. In the bottom of the seventh inning, Utica loaded the bases off back-to-back singles from Jones and pinch-hitting freshman Maggie McLaughlin (Guilderland, NY/Guilderland High School), however could convert as Cardinal pitcher Sarah Stefanan recorded her sixth shut-out of the season.

Junior pitcher Haley Butler (New Hartford, NY/New Hartford) threw 6.2 innings and allowed nine earned runs on 14 hits and three walks, while fanning six.

The Pioneers return to action on Tuesday when they host SUNY Oswego for a non conference double header at 3:30 p.m.

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