The baseball team returned to Empire 8 Conference play with a 1–0 road loss Friday against St. John Fisher College (20—8 overall, 5—4 Empire 8). The loss is the second in a row for the Blue and Gold and drops their record to 18–6–1 on the season and 8–2 in conference play.

Friday’s game was an evenly matched pitcher’s duel, as each team’s starting pitcher threw a complete game. Junior pitcher Pat Lemmo allowed one run on seven hits and struck out four batters during the course of the game. His counterpart, Fisher sophomore pitcher Justin D’Amato, held the Bombers’ bats scoreless with just five hits. D’Amato opened the game by retiring the first 14 batters he faced.

The game remained scoreless heading into the ninth inning. Senior centerfielder Mike Rosenbaum led off the top of the frame with a single for the Blue and Gold. A sacrifice bunt moved him into scoring position at second but the final two batters were retired.

In the bottom half of the inning, Fisher senior third baseman Peter Krysztof led off with a bloop single. After a sacrifice bunt moved him to second base, he scored on single up the middle off the bat of senior leftfielder Ben Ward for the walk-off victory.

The South Hill squad continues its weekend series against the Cardinals with a doubleheader today in Rochester, N.Y. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m.