Messiah Outlasts St. John Fisher In Pitcher's Duel
ITHACA, N.Y. - Messiah (37-5) scored the game's only run in the top of the seventh inning and made it stand up in a 1-0 win over St. John Fisher (29-13-1) Friday afternoon in an NCAA Division III Softball Championship game at Kostrinsky Field in Ithaca, N.Y.
Jocelyn Hickey was the winning pitcher for Messiah with a three-hit shutout. She walked two batters and struck out two batters.
The winning run scored on a two-out single up the middle from Abi Buchler that brought in Krista Ammon, who started the seventh inning with a bloop single behind third base. Buchler was 2-for-3 in the game, and the only player with multiple hits in the contest.
That was the only damage done off of St. John Fisher starting pitcher Sarah Stefanon, who took the loss (14-5) despite a stellar complete-game effort. Stefanon scattered six hits and walked one batter, with five strikeouts.
Messiah advances in the winner's bracket and will face the winner of Friday's final game between Ithaca and Keuka. St. John Fisher will face Middlebury in an elimination game Saturday at 10 a.m.
