In a rematch of last year’s final, the St. John Fisher College softball team came through with a
1-0 win in eight innings to earn the program’s second Empire 8 Title in as many years. With the win, the Cardinals also earned an automatic berth into the NCAA Division III Championship.
Junior outfielder Samantha Vara delivered the game-winning RBI single ion what proved to be a pitcher’s duel. The MVP of last season’s E8 Tournament, senior Amanda Shevchuk worked all eight innings and allowed just four hits to earn Most Valuable Player honors for the second time.
The Cardinals battled through the loser’s bracket to defeat the Bombers twice to earn their first conference crown last year, and almost had the tables turned on them this year. The Cardinals advanced to the finals with wins over Alfred(BOXSCORE) and RIT (BOXSCORE) before the Bombers made things interesting with a 2-1 win over the Cardinals in the first game of the double-elimination tournament.
Shevchuk took a no hitter through seven and two-thirds innings before back-to-back singles put runners on first and third. Following an intentional walk that loaded the bases, the senior induced a groundout back to the pitching circle for the final out of the inning.
After a single from Meghan Graves and a fielding error by the Bombers put two runners on with just one out, Vara came through with the game-winning hit to score pinch runner Jenn Vanek from second.
The field and seeds for the 2009 NCAA Division III Softball Championship will be announced at 11 a.m. on Monday.