PITTSFORD, N.Y. (April 2, 2017) – Junior
Cara Napolitano's seventh-inning, two-strike RBI single gave the Stevens Institute of Technology softball team a 2-1 victory over No. 5 St. John Fisher College in the opening game of their Empire 8 Conference doubleheader Sunday.
St. John Fisher downed the Ducks in game two, forcing a split of the doubleheader.
Senior
Emily Sellitti homered and sophomore
Christine LaRochelle won her second straight decision for Stevens, who improved to 15-7 on the year and 3-1 in Empire 8 play.
Lindsay Thayer stuck out 21 batters over two games and Sarah Kubik and Kristina Balsano each homered for the Cardinals, who closed play with a 15-3 record overall and 3-1 in conference games.
Stevens 2 St. John Fisher 1
In the opener,
Cara Napolitano delivered a two-out, two-strike single, scoring pinch-runner
Victoria Kapp from second to give the Ducks a 2-1 victory.
Junior
Corinne Loncar led off the inning with a 10-pitch battle with Lindsay Thayer (8-3) before ultimately striking out, but the long at-bat set the precursor for the next batter as junior
Olivia Gemma confidently connected on Thayer's first pitch for a double to right center. Kapp pinch-ran for Gemma, but
Amanda DiLeo struck out for the second out of the inning, keeping the freshman at second. Napolitano followed and after fouling off a pitch from the two-time Empire 8 Pitcher of the Year, the junior dropped a single into left center to put Stevens in front.
Christine LaRochelle (7-3) pitched seven strong innings, keeping the high-powered St. John Fisher offense at bay, to earn the victory. The Somerset, New Jersey native scattered five hits and struck out five against the E8s batting average leader. The only blemish against the left-hander was Sarah Kubik's fifth-inning RBI single.
Stevens jumped out in front in the fourth on
Emily Sellitti's third home run of the season. It was the first victory over the Cardinals since April 11, 2015.
St. John Fisher 9 Stevens 0
In game two, St. John Fisher used a four-run third inning to break open the game en route to a 9-0 victory over the Ducks.
Lindsay Thayer (9-3) rebounded from a tough loss to combine with Monica Moses to scatter just two hits.
After a scoreless first, St. John Fisher struck for two runs off starter
Marissa Cappello (3-4) without the benefit of a hit, scoring on a sacrifice fly and a bases-loaded walk. Cappello walked five in the innings.
After a pitching change, Fisher broke the game open against
Christine LaRochelle in the third on Kristina Balsano's grand slam.
Corinne Loncar and
Cara Napolitano recorded the only hits for the Ducks.
Up Next: The Ducks welcome Ramapo College to Weehawken for a non-conference doubleheader at Waterfront Park on Wednesday, April 5. First pitch for game one is scheduled for 3:00 p.m.
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