Score: #20 St. John Fisher College 6, Elmira College 1
Score: #20 St. John Fisher College 16, Elmira College 1 (six innings)
Records: Elmira (4-6, 2-6 E8), St. John Fisher (21-5, 3-1 E8)
Location: Eldridge Park Stadium – Elmira, NY
 
Elmira, NY -- After weeks of abnormally cold and snowy weather, the sun finally showed itself in the Southern Tier this afternoon, allowing the Elmira College softball team to host No. 20 nationally-ranked St. John Fisher College in a pair of Empire 8 Conference games. The nationally-ranked Cardinals proved to be too much for Elmira, as Fisher won both games of this afternoon's doubleheader.
 
Fisher started Lindsey Thayer in the pitcher's circle in both games, Elmira's first look at the nation's strikeout leader. Thayer fanned 18 batters this afternoon, retiring nine in each game. Thayer's dominant start to both games set the table for Fisher's bats to take over, as the Cardinals claimed a 6-1 win in game one and a 16-1 victory in the nightcap.
 
Elmira totaled 10 hits in the two games, while scoring once in each contest. Rookie Hannah Vignone '19 drove in EC's lone run in the opening game on a hard hit ball that bounced off the dirt and over the head of the Fisher pitcher. Vignone's hot shot eventually made its way to centerfield and scored Miranda Keefe '18 from second base in the bottom of the seventh.  
 
In game two, Katie Day '16 laced one into deep center field, scoring Katie McDougal '18 from second base. Day's RBI double came in the bottom half of the sixth inning.
 
Inside the Box Score (Game One)

• Fisher held the advantage in hits, 13-to-6.
• Elmira committed four errors, while the Cardinals were perfect from the field.
• Six different players logged hits for Elmira.
• Vignone drove in EC's lone run of the game in the seventh inning.
• Keefe scored on the Vignone RBI single.
• Fisher's starting pitcher, Thayer, fanned nine batters in a winning effort.
• Emily Carlin '17 got the start for Elmira and tossed seven full innings, striking out two batters and allowing just two earned runs.

 
Inside the Box Score (Game Two)

• The hit total was lopsided in favor of Fisher, 19-to-4.
• Elmira did a better job fielding the ball in game two, committing just one error.
• Carlin had a good game at the plate, going 2-for-3 with a pair of singles.
• Day produced an RBI double, which drove in EC's lone run of the game.
• McDougal scored on the Day double.
• Fisher's Thayer was credited with the win, while EC's McDougal took the loss.

 
News and Notes

• Elmira falls to 2-6 in conference play this season.
• EC also suffered its first home loss of the 2016 campaign.
• Maddy Johnson's hitting streak came to an end in game two, as the rookie's streak was halted at nine games.
• Day's RBI double gives her nine on the year, which leads the team.
• Day's nine RBIs are a career high, surpassing her previous best of eight in 2014.

 
Up Next
Elmira will to bounce back from today's setback tomorrow, when the Soaring Eagles welcome Nazareth College to Eldridge Park Stadium for another E8 doubleheader. Tomorrow's twinbill is slated for a 1:00 p.m. start.