Albany, NY –Russell Sage College's softball team had their 2023 home opener on Saturday night as they welcomed Empire 8 foe, St. John Fisher University to the Plumeri Sports Complex. The Cardinals took the first game, 9-0 in five innings, snapping RSC's five-game win streak. SJFU took the night cap, 2-0 to move to 14-10 overall and 2-3 in the E8, while RSC is now 11-13overalland 3-2 in the Empire 8.

Game #1 SJFU 9-0 RSC (5 Innings)

SJFU's senior pitcher Jessica Patterson (Rensselaer, NY/Columbia) picked up the complete game shutout win as she held the Gators to three hits. She stands at 5-4 after she struck out seven batters.

In the circle for RSC, rookie Leah Madore (Williamsville, VT/Brattleboro Union) took the loss as she gave up nine hits with nine runs, four earned runs, a strikeout with three walks. She drops to 6-5 this season.

Rookie Emma Heartquist (Stuyvesant, NY/Ichabod Crane) connected for second triple of the year and was 1-for-1 at the plate, while graduate player Arianna Papas (Castleton, NY/Maple Hill) was 1-3 at the plate and now has a season-high 29 hits.

Game #2 SJFU 2-0  

SJFU took the night cap 2-0 as they combined for nine hits and held the Gators to three hits and no runs.

For RSC, graduate performer Taylor Dicranian (Bennington, VT/Mt. Anthony Union) added a double and was 1-3 at the plate. She also worked the complete game in the circle dropping to 4-8 after she gave up one earned run off nine hits. Dicranian now has 46 career doubles, just three shy of holding the career mark, while also now holding the career record for most pitching appearances at 84 and counting and also broke the Gator career record for the most innings worked on Saturday night. She now has worked in 382.1 innings, surpassing the record held by Paula Weeden of 381.    

Papas and junior Emily Wasilko (Poughkeepsie, NY/Roy C. Ketcham) were also 1-3 at the plate.

Sophomore Cassidy Ormond (Cicero, NY/Cicero-North Syracuse) collected the complete game shutout victory as she is now 6-1 after striking out four and limiting the Gator offense to just three hits.

RSC returns to action on April 16 hosting Nazareth College in an Empire 8 double header slated for a 1 p.m. start at the Plumeri Complex in conjunction with the Gators' Senior Day.