Defense played a big role for both teams as Rochester and Ithaca split a Liberty League softball doubleheader on Saturday afternoon at Southside Field. Ithaca won game one, 4-3, scoring two unearned runs. Rochester won the nitecap, 5-1, taking advantage of three misplays by the Bombers.
 
It was an interesting start to a period when Rochester will play 10 Liberty League games in a span of eight calendar days. The next two games are Sunday, when UR hosts St. Lawrence at 1 pm.
 
With the twinbill complete, Ithaca is 18-8 overall, 7-3 in the Liberty League. Rochester is 9-14 overall, 2-4 in league play. Both teams were swept by RPI this year. UR split with Skidmore last weekend.
 
Game One:
Ithaca scored a pair of unearned runs in the third off Elizabeth Bourne. Frankie-Ann McCauley reached when her popup was caught by Jessica Conforti, but it bounced out, injuring her. She left, returned two innings later. McCauley was bunted to second safely and Ellie Murray beat the throw to first. Allie Colleran's single loaded the bases with one out. Gabby Laccona reached on an error by Toni Ann Hahn at second. That scored both runners. Bourne ended the inning with a flyout and groundout. She set down 10 of the next 11 hitters to face her.
 
Rochester had just two baserunners in the first four innings against Haley Congdon. With one down in the bottom of the fifth, Lydia Petricca lined a single to center and Michaela Farmer ran for her. Harleigh Kaczegowicz homered over the left centerfield fence to tie the score.
 
Shannon Grange replaced Congdon after the fifth. She set down the side in order in the sixth before UR staged an uprising  in the seventh.
 

That rally was necessary. Over the first six innings, Bourne allowed two hits and no walks. In the seventh (tied at 2-2), Ithaca sandwiched four hits around a groundout to produce two runs. The RBIs went to Grage (her groundout scored Hannah Anderson) and to Ellie Murray, who singled home Alex Wright. Hannah Leahy replaced Bourne (six hits in 6.1 IP, four runs – two earned – one strikeout) and induced two lineouts to Sammi Re.
 
UR rallied in the seventh, drawing two walks before Petricca forced Jocelyn Blackshear at second for one out. Kaczegowicz doubled to deep center, scoring pinchrunner Haberly Kahn and sending Petricca to third. Congdon relieved Grage. She got pinch-hitter Jen Carons to ground out to third with the runners holding. Pinch-hitter Abby Broomfield drew a full count walk, loading the bases. Congdon saved the victory for Grage, getting Marissa Russo to popup.
 
Game Two:
Rochester tied the score in the second without benefit of a hit or an error, went ahead in the third, then added two insurance runs in the sixth after a sensational diving catch in centerfield ended the IC 6^th with the bases loaded. The same player figured in both.
 
Hannah Leahy navigated through five innings allowing one run on six hits, two hit batsmen, and two walks. In the sixth with one down. She waked Alex Kimmel and Emily Bloom singled. After Colleran flied out, Laccona drew a full count walk to load the bases. Vanessa Brown slammed an 0-1 pitch to deep centerfield that Russo chased, dove for, and caught, holding onto the ball as she hit the ground.
 
In the Rochester sixth, pinch-hitter Rachael Pletz beat out an infield hit and Sammi Re re-entered to run for her. Kaczegowicz doubled in the center/right center gap sending Re to third. Grage, who had replaced starter Beth Fleming to start the fourth, left with Congdon coming in to relieve for the second time in the day.
 
Russo lined an 0-1 pitch into left field to plate both runs. UR managed to load the bases (a walk to PH Broomfield and another to Alexis Pope) before Leahy was thrown out on an infield roller.
 
Leahy got a quick groundout in the seventh, walked Wright, got another groundout, then allowed a single by Murray to put runners at the corners with the Bombers down 5-1.  She ran the count to 2-2 on Kimmel before getting a swing-and-miss strike three.
 
Leahy had an interesting day at the plate. With one down in the second, she was hit by Fleming. She stole second, crossed to third on a groundout. Re was hit, putting runners at the corners. Re stole second. With Russo at bat, Fleming threw a wild pitch to score Leahy and tie it at 1-1.
 
Pope drove in the second Rochester run – this one in the third. With Farmer at third (Petricca singled to lead off) and two down, she slapped the ball through the left side to break the tie. Leahy jumped on a full count pitch and lined it down the right field line. Laccona ran after it, had it in her  glove, and dropped it as she crossed the right field line. Pope scored and Leahy got to third. She got on again in the fifth when her popup to left field was dropped with two outs, but Grage ended the threat.
 
The Ithaca run came in the top of the first. Colleran, Laccona, and Brown all hit singles up the middle. After a strikeout, Wright hit a pop fly to the back of the infield by shortstop. Re made a nice running catch. Colleran was able to tag and score.
 
Leahy went the distance, allowing eight hits, one earned run, with five walks and three strikeouts. Fleming allowed only two hits in three innings. She gave up three runs (two earned), walked two, and fanned four. In two innings, Grage allowed three hits, two earned runs, walked one, and fanned one. Congdon allowed a hit and two walks with one K in her one inning of work.