The University of Rochester softball team moved to within one win of 400 all-time victories by sweeping Clarkson University in a doubleheader at Southside Field on Sunday afternoon.
 
Rochester won game one, 9-0, in five innings on the mercy rule. The Yellowjackets took the nitecap, 4-3. Rochester has won five straight and six of its last seven. The Yellowjackets are 15-17 overall, 6-2 in the Liberty League. Clarkson is 17-9 overall, 2-4 in the Liberty League.
 
The all-time record through Sunday's sweep is 399-348 (.534). This is the 19^th season as a varsity sport. The program began in 1998. Rochester was selected for the NCAA Division III playoffs six times in the previous nine seasons.
 
Sam Malecki pitched four innings of relief in game two to earn the victory. She gave up an unearned run in the fourth (which tied the score at 3-3). Over the last three innings, she allowed two baserunners: a single by Raeanna Dunn leading off the fifth (she was called out on a runner-left-early ruling on a steal attempt) and a leading single to Liz Caggiano in the sixth. Kelsey Green ran for Caggiano. She stole second, then moved to third on Sara Armstrong's groundout. Malecki fanned Chelsea Elliot for the second out and induced Erika Jensen to ground out to second to end the sixth. In the seventh, she struck out Bridget Woolley, then got back to back infield groundouts to Laurelle Byrne-Cody at second.
 
Rochester scored the gamewinning run in the fourth against Meg Tully, the second Clarkson pitcher. With one out, Shelby Corning and Eleni Wechsler singled. Rachael Pletz forced Wechsler at second with Corning moving to third. Raegan Herne ran for Pletz. Tully departed, replaced by Maggie Stark. Gianni Melillo lined a single down the left field line scoring Corning. Herne was thrown out trying to reach third.
 
The Yellowjackets threatened in the fifth (singles by Jocelynn Blackshear and Malecki) but pinch-hitter Lauren Muni bounced into a short-to-first double play and Haberly Kahn struck out. In the sixth, Kayla Kibling singled to right and reached second when the ball was thrown away. Tully got two groundouts with Kibling moving to third, then struck out Pletz to end the sixth.
 
Clarkson scored two unearned runs in the first on one hit off Elizabeth Bourne and two Yellowjacket errors. Summer Lancette doubled home Dunn who reached after a dropped throw. Lancette moved to third on the throw to the play. She scored immediately when a comebacker was booted.
 
Rochester scored an unearned run in the first – Wechsler singled home Kibling after a base hit and an error. The Yellowjackets went in front, 3-2, in the second. Bourne doubled. Two outs later, Kibling singled her to third and took second on the throw. Shelby Corning lofted a single to short left, scoring both women.
 
In the first game, Rochester was held mostly in check over the first three innings – baserunners on an infield error in the first and Kibling's single in the third. The Yellowjackets scored three in the fourth and six – five unearned – in the fifth to post the mercy rule win.
 
In the fourth, Blackshear doubled home Pletz. Caitlin Price singled to left, scoring Blackshear and took second on the throw. When a wild pitch was thrown, Pletz reached third. The throw to try and get her sailed down the left field line and she scored for a 3-0 lead.
 
Gianni Melillo had an RBI single in the fifth with two down. Blackshear hit a comebacker with runners at the corners. The throw home slipped away. Wechsler scored an unerned run for a 5-0 lead. Price doubled home one (6-0). Logan Mohr was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Pinch-hitter Muni doubled to the center field fence which cleared the bases and ended the game.
 
Wechsler picked up the victory. She allowed two hits with no walks and two strikeouts over the five innings. Jamie Bridge took the loss. She gave up 10 hits, nine runs (three earned), did not walk a batter, and fanned two in 4.2 innings.