Score: #5 St. John Fisher College 10 – Elmira College 2
Score: #5 St. John Fisher College 10 – Elmira College 0
Records: Fisher (14-2, 2-0 E8), Elmira (1-2, 0-2 E8)
Location: St. John Fisher's Softball Complex – Rochester, N.Y.
 
ROCHESTER, N.Y. -- The Elmira College softball team dropped both games of its Empire 8 Conference-opening doubleheader against fifth-ranked St. John Fisher College on Saturday afternoon in Rochester, New York. The Soaring Eagles fell in the early game by a final score of 10-2, before being shutout in the nightcap, 10-0.

In the opening contest, EC's starting pitcher, Emily Carlin '17, kept the Purple and Gold in contention by not allowing a run in the first four innings.

Unfortunately for Carlin, her offense did not provide her with any run support, as the lineup was held hitless. Elmira's batters struggled to find opportunities to get hits off of the Cardinals' stud pitcher Lindsey Thayer. The hard-throwing righty allowed zero hits in her 5.0 innings pitched, while striking out 11 EC batters.

Fisher's Karlie Neale put the first points on the board with a fielder's choice to plate one run in the bottom of the fifth. This RBI sparked a six-run fifth for the Cardinals, giving them a commanding 6-0 lead.

The Soaring Eagles got on the board in the sixth, plating two in the top of the inning. Sarah Garner '20 scored the first run after an error by Fishers' third-baseman, Kristina Balsano. Hannah Lundgren '18 posted the second run following an error by shortstop Danielle Ventrone. Both runs scored, however, were unearned and Elmira was still unable to record a hit. The Cardinals added four more runs in the bottom of the sixth to seal the 10-2 win in six innings.

The start of the nightcap looked promising for EC, as Maddy Johnson '19 led off the game with a single, Elmira's first hit of the twin bill. The Soaring Eagles looked poised to score following a Carlin walk giving them two baserunners with just one out. Unfortunately for the Purple and Gold, they would leave both runners on the base as Fisher worked out of the early jam.

Fisher took advantage of EC's offensive struggles, scoring all 10 of its runs before the Soaring Eagles recorded another hit. Elmira's starter, Katie McDougal '18, had a difficulty with the tough Cardinals' batters, giving up nine earned runs on 14 hits in 4.0 innings pitched.

The Purple and Gold would plate three in the top of the fifth, but would again come up empty, as they were resigned to take the 10-0 E8 loss.
 
Inside the Box Score (Game One)

• Elmira finished the contest with zero hits.
• Both of EC's runs were unearned, as they were caused by Fisher fielding errors.
• The Cardinals recorded 12 hits.
• Garner and Lundgren finished as the Soaring Eagles' two run scorers.
• Garner earned Elmira's lone walk.
• Carlin pitched 5.2 innings and allowed nine earned runs on 12 hits three walks.

 
Inside the Box Score (Game Two)

• The Purple and Gold finished with four hits, while Fisher posted 14.
• Both teams posted one error.
• Johnson finished the contest 2-for-3.
• Garner and Rachel Katzenberger '19 each posted a hit in the game.
• Carlin and Emily Clark '19 got on base via walks in the contest.
• McDougal gave up nine earned runs on 14 hits and four walks and struck out one in 4.0 innings pitched.

News and Notes

• Elmira falls to 1-2 on the season.
• The Purple and Gold open E8 play 0-2.
• The Cardinals improve to 43-22-1 in the all-time series against the Soaring Eagles.
• EC has fallen to Fisher in six consecutive matchups.
• The most recent contest that the Purple and Gold have been held hitless was an April 12, 2015, tilt against these Cardinals.
• The last Soaring Eagles' opponent to record 11 strikeouts was Utica College on April 23 of last year.
• Katzenberger's hit was the first of her season.
• Lundgren's run was her first of the year.

 
Up Next
Elmira returns to action tomorrow with another E8 doubleheader against the Golden Flyers of Nazareth College. The feathered foes are scheduled to take flight at 1:00 p.m. in Rochester, New York.