Game 1 | Game 2
Updated stats
ROCHESTER, N.Y. -- Visiting St. John Fisher swept an Empire 8 Conference doubleheader from Nazareth Friday as the Cardinals improved to 8-2 in conference play with 4-0 and 13-1 victories over the Golden Flyers.

St. John Fisher improved to 24-8 overall. Nazareth dropped to 4-22 overall and 0-8 in conference games.

Fisher's Leanne Merchant socked three home runs -- two in the first game and one in the second -- to pace the Cardinals' offense. Kayla Goodberlet had a home run and drove in five runs in game two.

Nazareth junior Casey Mathers pitched well for Nazareth in the first game as she held the Cardinals scoreless until Merchant hit a solo home run to centerfield with one out in the fifth inning. She connected again in the top of the seventh for a three-run blast to left field. Mathers allowed just four hits and three earned runs and struck out five.

Fisher's Danielle Leone was the winning pitcher as she scattered four hits over seven innings and struck out four.

Freshman Kasey Pollot had two hits for Nazareth. Mathers hit a double and Kailey Ritch also had a single.

The second game was close early before Fisher broke it open with four runs in the fourth inning and seven in the fifth. Merchant cracked a two-run homer and Goodberlet followed with a three-run blast in the fifth inning.

Nazareth's lone run came in the fourth inning after Pollot led off with a single and advanced to second on a ground out. She advanced to third on an error and scored on an infield grounder by Sarah Cipperly.

Junior Kelly Kocher started for Nazareth and had four strikeouts in the first two innings, but was tagged for nine earned runs overall.

Nazareth plays again Saturday at RIT at 1 p.m.