UTICA, N.Y. – Rochester made a series of key defensive plays in both games and swept a low-scoring doubleheader over Utica College on Wednesday afternoon.
 
The Yellowjackets won the opener, 3-1, and took the nitecap, 3-2. Coupled with the DH sweep of Nazareth at home on Tuesday, Rochester is 7-10 overall heading into the Liberty League season opening weekend at RPI and Skidmore. UR has won four in a row. Utica is 6-14.
 
Hannah Leahy scattered nine hits over seven innings to get her fourth win of the season. She walked two, struck out three, and didn't allow a run until the bottom of the seventh. She earned the save in game two, pitching the bottom of the seventh with that 3-2 lead and allowing one base hit. Elizabeth Bourne went the first six innings in game two  - sedven hits, two earned runs, no walks, and three strikeouts.
 
Game One:
Rochester scored two in the third and one in the fourth. The Yellowjackets relied on a number of defensive stops. Each team stranded 10 runners, but the Pioneers left six in scoring position.
 
With the score 3-0 Rochester in the fourth, Utica had one out and Madison Judge at first. Leahy inducted a foulout by Jacqueline Aronin. She walked Samantha Whitehouse to put runners on first and second. Sadie Evans grounded the ball to third base and Lydia Petricca beat Judge to the bag to end the inning.
 
In the 5th, Nicole Rice hit a one-out double and Sabrina Stransky singled her to third. Leahy got Dominique Soto to pop to Petricca to end the threat. UC hit two singles around a groundout to score its run in the seventh. Rice took second on the throw. But Stransky lined back to the mound for the second out and Soto flied to Marissa Russo in centerfield to end it.
 
UR scored two in the third. Sammi Re walked and Russo hit back to the mound, but the ball was thrown away, putting runners at second and third. Two outs later, Petricca doubled to right for a lead.
 
In the fourth, Jocelynn Blackshear doubled to right center and came home on Leahy's single to right.
 
Game Two:
Blackshear had a home run against Nazareth on Tuesday and the double in game one vs. Utica that led to Rochester's third run. In this game, she made a diving catch in right field to end the sixth inning. It kept the tying run and possibly a go-ahead run from scoring.
 
Rochester scored three unearned runs for the victory. In the second, Alexis Pope hit a fly ball to right that was dropped. Pope got to second and came home on a single up the middle by Harleigh Kaczegowicz. UR had two aboard in the third but couldn't add to the lead.
 
In the fifth, Russo singled with one down. Blackshear singled to right. Russo raced for third base, but was thrown out. Blackshear was caught trying to advance on the throw.
 
Two passed balls led to a pair of UR runs in the sixth with two out. Pope doubled and moved to third on a passed ball. Michaela Farmer ran for her. Kaczegowicz walked and stole second. Another passed ball scored both runners. The runs broke a 1-1 tie.
 
In the Utica sixth, Rice and Stransky singled. Judge forced Stransky at second with Rice moving to third. Aronin's sac fly scored the run, cutting the UR lead to 3-2. Madison Akots singled to right center. That got Judge to third. Sara Stransky lined a fly to right which Blackshear dove for and speared, ending the inning.
 
Leahy navigated her way through the seventh for the save. Utica put two aboard on an E6 and a bunt single. Rice grounded to third and Petricca picked up the forceout. Sabrina Stransky popped to Re to end it.