Golden Eagles drop both games of doubleheader against Cardinals

BROCKPORT, N.Y. — Coming into the day with a combined in-conference record of 19-3, the Brockport Golden Eagles and St. John Fisher Cardinals faced off in an Empire 8 powerhouse matchup on Friday. The Cardinals pitchers held the Golden Eagles bats to just three runs across the two games, striking out 20 Golden Eagles batters as they cruised to two statement victories at the Clark V. Whited complex.

The Brockport Golden Eagles softball team coming off the field on Friday, April 17, 2026. (Photo: Liv Metz/Brockport Athletics)

“When you’re working on building a program and getting to the top of the conference, sometimes when you play the perennial powerhouse, you can get nervous and not play your best,” Golden Eagles head coach Mary Karen Wheat said. “I think that today, we felt the pressure and that tightness, and that’s what we saw.”

St. John Fisher softball has won the Empire 8 championship nine times in program history, including back-to-back titles in 2023 and 2024. The Cardinals were the top seed in last year’s tournament, but fell to Alfred in the championship game.

GAME ONE

The Cardinals got on the board first thanks to a single from Leah Fron and some sloppy defense from the Golden Eagles. With runners on first and second and one out in the top of the second, Fron dunked a single over the head of Golden Eagles shortstop Caitlyn Dailey, advancing both runners to second and third. Center fielder Natalie Faas tried to get the force out at third base, but her throw sailed over the head of third baseman Erin Dougherty and out of play, allowing two runs to score.

The Cardinals maintained their two-run lead until the bottom of the fifth when Saylor Ayers led off the inning with a home run to dead center to pull the Golden Eagles within a run. Ayers was the only Golden Eagle who managed to figure out Cardinals starter Molly Kuhn on the day. That solo homer was the only run Kuhn allowed in her seven innings of work as she struck out a season-high 12, walking none.

Taylor Shackleton got that run back for the Cardinals in the top of the sixth with a solo home run of her own to bring the Cardinals lead back to two.

Golden Eagles starter Liana DeValder allowed two earned runs in her seven innings of work, striking out eight Cardinal batters. The freshman now owns a 2.41 ERA in 69.2 innings this season.

“Liana threw a great game,” Wheat said. “It came down to two things, the ball over the fence, it would have been 1-1 if we didn’t have that early error.”

3-1 ended up as the final score as Kuhn retired the final nine Golden Eagles she faced, striking out five of them.

GAME TWO

The Cardinals again struck first in the top of the second, getting on the board from a Hallie Lorimer RBI single. With two outs and the bases loaded, Sarah Gross delivered a two-run single up the middle to put the Cardinals up 3-0.

Ayers continued her big day at the plate in the bottom half of the inning, singling home DeValder, who led off the inning with a double, to bring the score to 3-1.

The Cardinals continued to tack on runs against Colleen Davis who struggled with command, issuing two walks, hitting three batters and throwing three wild pitches, allowing eight runs (four earned) in her seven innings of work.

“Colleen, she fought through, and only gave up one big hit,” Wheat said. “They’re doing their job. We just didn’t put all the pieces together today.”

CC Holmes, like Kuhn, held the Golden Eagles offense in check, allowing just one earned run in her seven innings of work, striking out eight.

“When you play one of the best teams in the conference, you have to expect them to also have some of the best pitching,” Wheat said. “Their pitchers shined today and we just didn’t make the adjustments that we needed to make.”

Holmes retired the final eight Golden Eagle hitters she faced, giving the Cardinals an 8-2 victory.

With the losses, the Golden Eagles fall to 13-11 overall and 9-3 in conference play, third in the Empire 8 standings. The Cardinals improve to 21-9 and 12-2 in conference play with the wins, first in the Empire 8 standings.

The Golden Eagles next games will be against Nazareth in a doubleheader on Saturday, April 18. First pitch of game one is scheduled for 1 p.m.