PITTSFORD, N.Y. – For the third year in a row – and the fifth time in program history – the St. John Fisher University baseball team (30-12) has been crowned Empire 8 Conference champions. The Cardinals, the top seed in the E8 tournament defeated No. 4 Russell Sage College (18-25) on Saturday, May 13 by a 5-1 score to win the double elimination tournament.
With the trophy in hand, the Cardinals secured an automatic berth in the NCAA Division III tournament. Fisher will find out more about its regional matchups on Monday, May 15, at noon during the NCAA.com Selection Show. St. John Fisher enters the NCAA Tournament having won 16 straight games.
Junior catcher Ethan Perry was named the 2023 Empire 8 Baseball Championship Most Valuable Player. He enjoyed a tremendous tournament, batting .636 (7-for-11) with a home run, double, three runs scored and four RBI. He also caught all 27 innings during the tournament for the Cardinals and threw out 1-of-2 baserunners attempting to steal a base.
The duo of Benjamin Huckans and Russell Dunlap combined on a four-hitter for the Cardinals, needing just 111 pitches on the afternoon. Huckans wiggled around some early jams to allow just four hits and two walks and an earned run over six innings, striking out five. Dunlap would shut the door on any Russell Sage comeback bid, needing just 30 pitches to throw three perfect innings of relief, while striking out a pair of batters.
The Cardinals out-hit Russell Sage, 11-4. Nick Lemire was 3-for-3 with two walks and two RBI, while Perry was 2-for-4 with an RBI. Noah Campanelli tripled twice, scored two runs and drove in a key eighth inning run.
The Cardinals took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first, as Noah Campanelli led off with a triple and scored on a single by Nick Lemire.
Russell Sage would tie the action in the top of the second as Christian Brown added a double and was able to score after sophomore second baseman Dom Caminitti singled but was thrown out attempting to steal second allowing Brown to come home.
The Cardinals answered right back with a run of their own in the bottom half of the inning and never lost the lead. Ben Lavery led off with a double and came right around to score on a single by Jake Crantz.
In the eighth inning with Fisher clinging to a 3-1 lead, the hosts tallied two insurance runs. Jack Migliore singled and came around to score on Campanelli’s second triple of the day to make it 4-1. Lemire drove in Campanelli for the second time to close out the scoring.
Right handed sophomore Ricky Parks got the nod as RSC’s starter. He worked 1.0 plus innings, allowing two earned runs off of four hits with a strikeout. He suffered the loss. Sophomore reliever Jaylen Cuevas came in for the Gators, working 3.1 innings, allowing just two hits and no earned runs with three walks and a strikeout. Senior Will Simkin (Canberra, Australia) closed the game for teh Gators as he gave up two earned runs off of five hits in 3.2 innings. Simkin struck out three along the way.
The Cardinals have now won seven straight E8 Tournament games dating back to last season.
2023 Empire 8 Baseball Championship Schedule
(All games to be played at St. John Fisher)
Thursday, May 11
Game 1 – No. 1 St. John Fisher defeated No. 4 Russell Sage, 8-3 – BOX SCORE
Game 2 – No. 2 Utica defeated No. 3 Houghton, 15-8 – BOX SCORE – VIDEO/LIVE STATS
Friday, May 12
Game 3 – No. 4 Russell Sage defeated No. 3 Houghton, 12-2 – BOX SCORE (elimination game)
Game 4 – No. 1 St. John Fisher defeated No. 2 Utica, 11-6 – BOX SCORE
Game 5 – No. 4 Russell Sage defeated No. 2 Utica, 7-6 (11 innings) – BOX SCORE (elimination game)
Saturday, May 13
Game 6 – No. 1 St. John Fisher No. 4 Russell Sage, 5-1 – BOX SCORE
2023 Empire 8 Baseball Championship Tournament Most Valuable Player
Ethan Perry, Jr., C, St. John Fisher
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