ALFRED, N.Y. – Despite their first-ever post-season victory, Nazareth's 2022 softball season came to an end Friday as the Golden Flyers dropped a 5-3 decision to St. John Fisher in their second game of the day. Earlier, Nazareth defeated Russell Sage, 4-3, to advance to an elimination game against Fisher.

Nazareth also lost 3-2 to Alfred on Thursday and finishes its season at 18-19 overall, while Fisher advances to Saturday's championship against host Alfred. The Saxons defeated Fisher, 5-1, in Friday's opening game.

Sarah Simmons had five hits for Nazareth in the two games, including a 4-for-4 effort against Fisher. She had a run-scoring double in the first game and an RBI single in the second game.

The Cardinals scored single runs in the first three innings and added two more runs in the fourth off Nazareth pitcher Emily Daciw, who gained the relief win in the first game.

Nazareth scored twice against Fisher in the third inning as Simmons delivered a single to score Hailie Bennett. Maggie Burdick singled later in the frame to score Simmons. Nazareth added its third run in the sixth inning as Daciw's ground ball scored pinch runner Brooke Hailston.

In the seventh inning, Simmons reached base on a two-out single, but was left stranded as Marissa Berghorn's fly to center field ended the game.

Daciw pitched all seven innings and surrendered nine hits, but only three earned runs while striking out six.

Against Russell Sage, Nazareth gained its first-ever post-season win as Justine Brooks and Bennett each had two hits and Daciw yielded just two hits over the last four innings to gain the win.

Nazareth scored twice in the first inning as Simmons doubled home Brooks, who singled to lead off the game. Simmons later scored on a single by Burdick.

After the Gators tied it with runs in the first and third innings, Nazareth went ahead to stay with two runs in the fourth. Katie Schmidt and Bennett opened the inning with singles. Schmidt eventually scored on an infield error and Bennett later scored on an infield grounder by Brooks.

Maddie Funk pitched the first three innings for Nazareth and gave up two hits and four walks before Daciw relieved in the fourth inning. She set the Gators down in order in both the fifth and sixth innings before running into some two-out trouble in the seventh. A single, an infield error and a walk plated one run and put the tying and winning runs on base, before Daciw recorded her fourth strikeout for the final out.