Box Score 1 | Box Score 2
ALFRED, NY – The Alfred University softball team claimed a 6-4 victory over visiting St. John Fisher in the second game of an Empire 8 doubleheader to salvage a split with the visiting Cardinals Saturday afternoon at Harrington Park.

With the split, AU improves to 17-5 overall and 2-2 in Empire 8 play, while Fisher goes to 15-5 (3-3 in Empire 8).

After Fisher rallied from a four-run deficit to take the opener, 6-5, AU junior pitcher Alison Wickwire (Towanda, PA/Towanda) got the start in the nightcap. She allowed four runs (three earned) on eight hits over six innings, striking out six to improve to 7-2 on the year. Junior Tori Kramp (Yardley, PA/Pennsbury) allowed two hits in a scoreless seventh inning to earn the save.

Wickwire helped herself at the plate, belting a two-run homerun in the second inning. Freshman third baseman Liz Thompson (Horseheads, NY/Horseheads) hit an RBI single in the second and senior outfielder Samijo Scheer (Corning, NY/Corning East) hit a solo homer in the third to give AU the 4-0 lead after three.

After Fisher scored a run in the fourth to make it 4-1, AU plated single runs in the fourth and fifth innings to go up 6-1. Fisher scored three times in the seventh before Kramp closed the door on the Cardinals' comeback bid.

Wickwire and Thompson each had two hits for the Saxons. Sophomore shortstop Nicole Maher (Newark, DE/Caravel Academy) went 2-for-3 with a triple and a runs scored; sophomore second baseman Dana Torchia (Pompton Plains, NJ/Pequannock Twp.) hit a triple and scored a run; and senior outfielder Rachel Guszick (Sparrowbush, NY/Port Jervis) hit an RBI double and scored a run.

In the opener, AU scored two runs in the first and two more in the second to lead 4-0. After Fisher scored a run in the third, AU answered with a run in the bottom of the frame to go up 5-1. That's the way things stood through five innings, as AU sophomore Katelyn Jakobsen (Elmwood Park, IL/Elmwood Park) kept Fisher in check, holding the Cardinals to an unearned run on four hits.

Jakobsen left after five and the Cardinals rallied, scoring five times against three relievers in the sixth inning. AU had a runner on third with two outs in the sixth and one on second with two down in the seventh but couldn't push across the tying run.

Maher was 3-for-4 with a triple and two RBIs and Guszick was 3-for-3 with a double, a run scored and one driven in the pace the Saxons. Torchia hit a two-run singles; sophomore outfielder Samantha Jauregui (Lindsay, CA/Lindsay) was 2-for-3 with a run scored; and sophomore Jasmine Picini (Alexandria, VA/West Potomac) had a pair of hits.

AU plays next on Monday, April 14, when the Saxons host Elmira College at 3 p.m. in a key Empire 8 doubleheader.