Softball | 4/3/2010 3:59:59 PM

Click here for game one stats

Click here for game two stats

ROCHESTER, NY – The RIT softball team (8-6, 1-1 Empire 8) opened up Empire 8 conference play by splitting a doubleheader against St. John Fisher (8-8, 1-1 Empire 8) on a picturesque Saturday afternoon at RIT Field.  RIT won game one, 2-0, while St. John Fisher rebounded to win game two, 2-1.

Game one took just 59 minutes, as both pitchers threw complete-game gems. Cole was masterful for RIT, allowing just four hits, while striking out five with no walks. She was perfect through the first four innings before getting out of a one-out, bases loaded jam in the fifth inning.

Danielle Leone was strong in the loss on the mound for Fisher, allowing just four hits and one earned run in six innings.

RIT pushed a run across in the first and sixth innings. Michelle Tabisz (Silver Spring, MD/Paint Branch) and Tori Nadow (Charlton, MA/Shepherd Hill) were 1-for-3 with a run batted in apiece. Nadow ripped a run scoring double in the first inning. Jen Hayden (Syracuse, NY/West Genesee) was 1-for-3 with a run scored. Shannon McCormick (Auburn, NY/Auburn) was 1-for-2 with a run scored, sacrifice and a stolen base.

Carissa Carlson was 2-for-3 for the Cardinals.

In game two, Michelle Krier kept the Tiger bats off balance, allowing just five hits, while striking out seven batters to earn the win for Fisher. Cole took the tough loss for RIT, allowing seven hits and two runs in the complete game.

Nadow kept the game scoreless in the bottom of the third inning by making a great defensive play, diving to glove a hot shot by Sarah Fordyce getting up and throwing her out at first with two runners in scoring position.

St. John Fisher used run scoring singles by Samantha Vara and Jamie Harmon to take a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the fourth inning.

Tabisz nearly tied the game in the sixth inning, ripping a shot down the left field line that left the yard, but just went foul. She popped up on the next pitch. Nadow, the next batter, drove in Emily McPherson (Pompey, NY/Pompey) with a single to cut the Cardinals lead to 2-1.

RIT returns to action on Wednesday with a non-conference doubleheader at Buffalo State which gets underway at 3 p.m.