Softball | 5/2/2009 4:51:47 PM

Click here for stats vs. St. John Fisher

Click here for stats vs. Ithaca

ITHACA, NY – The No. 4 RIT softball team was eliminated from the 2009 Empire 8 Tournament after losing to No. 2 St. John Fisher (29-9) and top-seed Ithaca (26-15) by identical 4-1 scores on Saturday afternoon.  The Tigers end their season with a 19-18 record. 

RIT faced St. John Fisher on Saturday morning in the winners bracket game. 

The Tigers opened the scoring in the bottom of the fourth inning, as Jessica French (Springwater, NY/Wayland-Cohocton Central) (Springwater, NY/Wayland-Cohocton) doubled in Carlissa Cole (Alden, NY/Alden) (Alden, NY/Alden).

St. John Fisher responded with a run in the top of the fifth inning and three in the sixth. 

Jen Hayden (Syracuse, NY/West Genesee) (Syracuse, NY/West Genesee) was 2-for-4.  Cole took the loss on the mound, allowing eight hits and four runs in five innings.  #Sarah Hamel (Templeton, MA/Narragansett Regional)# (Templeton, MA/Narragansett Regional) pitched two scoreless innings in relief.

Amanda Shevchuk twirled a complete-game four-hitter for St. John Fisher.

Ithaca jumped out to a 2-0 lead after the first inning and added two more in the sixth to knock off the Tigers in the second game of the day.

The Tigers did push to within one run in the fifth inning on a run-scoring single by #Katie Fitzpatrick (Smithtown, NY/Smithtown West)# (Smithtown, NY/Smithtown West).  #Emily McPherson (Pompey, NY/Pompey)# (Fabius, NY/Fabius-Pompey) had RIT's lone extra base hit of the game, a double in the sixth inning.

Cole allowed just two earned runs in the seven-inning complete-game.  Ithaca's Alyssa Brook threw a complete-game four-hitter, striking out nine Tiger batters.

On Friday, Cole pitched 16 shutout innings, leading RIT to a dramatic, 1-0 win over Ithaca. The 16-inning contest is the longest game in program history.