Box Score

TROY, N.Y. – Backed by a combined ten strikeouts from sophomore Michelle Street (East Syracuse, NY/East Syracuse-Minoa) and freshman Michelle Bianchetti (Highland Mills, NY/John S. Burke Catholic), the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) softball team defeated St. John Fisher, 3-1, in an elimination game of the four-team, double elimination ECAC Tournament at Doris Robison Field.

The top-seed and host Red Hawks improve to 25-9 and advance to Sunday’s elimination game against either Union, the second seed, or fourth-seeded Alfred. The Cardinals wrap up their season with a 24-15 record.

Rensselaer got on the board early in the game, led by an RBI double by sophomore Julianne Bass (Costa Mesa, CA/Newport Harbor). After a single from sophomore Sara Finkbeiner (Napanoch, NY/Ellenville), junior Beth Gargon (East Hampton, CT/East Hampton) scored Finkbeinger with a single to tie it up. Bass followed with her double to left center field to score Gargon and give the Red Hawks a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first.

St. John Fisher rallied in the top of the second inning to pull within a run. Sophomore Katelyn Stubbendeck (East Amherst, MA/Williamsville East) got things started with a double.  She advanced to third on a single by junior Nicole Watkins (Canastota, NY/Canastota) and scored on a sacrifice fly by freshman Sarah Gates (Granby, CT/Granby Memorial).

The Red Hawks went up 3-1 in the third on a base hit by Gargon, who pushed a hit toward the pitcher and beat out the throw to first, allowing Finkbeiner to score. Freshman Natalie Gendron (Auburn, NH/Manchester Memorial) sent a hard shot over the infield to load the bases, but sophomore Jessica Maurer (Corfu, NY/Pembroke) stuck out freshman Kate Stira (Durham, CT/Coginchaug) and got junior Logan Russell (Cranbury, NJ/Princeton) to fly out to rightfield to end the rally.

Offensively, the Red Hawks saw multiple players record hits in the game, including Finkbeiner, who went 2 for 3 with two runs. Gargon and Bass also went 2 for 3 with an RBI apiece. Street improved to 12-5 overall, allowing just one run on four hits with four walks and seven strikeouts in six innings. Bianchetti earned the save with one hit allowed and three strikeouts in an inning of relief.

For the Cardinals, Stubbendeck was 1 for 2 with a run and Gates finished with a hit and an RBI. Maurer suffered the loss,  allowing three runs on eight hits with two strikeouts in three innings before giving way to sophomore Amanda Shevchuck (Manlius, NY/Fayetteville-Manlius).  She allowed one hit with no walks and five strikeouts in the final three innings.