Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 CLERMONT, FL – Rochester split its first two softball games in Florida at the Dot Richardson National Training Center. The Yellowjackets opened with an 8-0 victory over Penn State-Brandywine, then fell just short of Wheaton (IL) College, 5-3.
 
In the opening game, junior Sam Malecki threw four innings of two-hit ball to get the victory in a game shortened by the mercy rule. She struck out eight. Freshman Liz Bourne pitched the fifth inning and recorded one strikeout.
 
Three players had two hits for the Yellowjackets. Freshman Harleigh Kaczegowicz was 2-3 along with senior Laurelle Byrne-Cody and sophomore Haberly Kahn.
 
In the second game, Wheaton took advantage of some wildness by Rochester junior Eleni Wechsler. The Thunder scored all five of its runs off five walks in the first two innings.
 
Junior Shelby Corning was 2-3 for Rochester. Sophomore Jocelyn Blackshear had a pinch-hit single in the bottom of the seventh as the Yellowjackets tried to rally from a 5-1 deficit. Kaczegowicz singled home two runs to cut the deficit to 5-3. Byrne-Cody was called out for hitting the ball out of the box and junior Courtney Semkewyc flew out to end the game.
 
On Sunday, Rochester (1-1) will play Cornell College of Iowa at 1 pm, then take on Muhlenberg College of Pennsylvania at 3 pm.
 
The final UAA Championship Tournament will begin on Tuesday.