ITHACA, N.Y. – Defending Liberty League softball champion Ithaca College halted Rochester's nine-game winning streak by sweeping a doubleheader from the Yellowjackets in Central New York State on Saturday afternoon.
 
Ithaca won a pitcher's duel in the opener, 4-2, then took the nitecap, 6-1. The Bombers improved to 6-0 in league play, 17-5-1 overall. Rochester stands at 12-12 overall, 4-2 in the Liberty League. If Mother Nature cooperates on Sunday, Rochester will host RIT on Senior Day at Southside Field. The scheduled starting time will be 1 p.m., subject to the elements.
 
Game One:
Ithaca scored four runs in the bottom of the second to push ahead, 4-0. With one down, Daniella Mulvey singled and was bunted to second. Annie Cooney singled her home. Cooney moved up on Vanessa Browns single. Nikkey Skuraton singled to right center scoring two runs and advancing on the throw. She scored on a base hit by Alex Wright. Addy Szczerba relieved Elizabeth Bourne and got the third out to end the inning.
 
In the Rochester third, Marissa Russo walked, Sammi Re singled, and Alexis Pope drew a walk. Ithaca starter Haley Congdon was relieved by Emily Holden. She walked Alizah Ayon and Tony Anne Hahn with the bases loaded, forcing in two runs.
 
The Yellowjackets narrowly missed a run in the third. Gianna Melillo doubled and Ann Marie Cortes ran for her. Later in the inning, Cortes was thrown out at the plate on an infield grounder with two runners in scoring position.
 
Bourne took the loss. In 1.2 innings, she allowed six hits, four runs (all earned) with no walks and no strikeouts. Szczerba pitched 4.1 innings. She gave up two hits, walked one, and fanned two.
 
Holden got the win in relief for Ithaca in game one (4.1 innings, three hits, two walks, eight strikeouts). Congdon went the first 2.2 innings (one hit, two earned runs, three walks, one strikeout).
 
Game Two:
The Bombers got a complete-game pitching performance out of Beth Fleming (seven innings, one earned run, five hits, five strikeouts). Ithaca did much of its offensive damage with two outs.
 
Rochester went in front in the first inning on an RBI single by Harleigh Kaczegowicz. Ithaca answered with two in its half: run-scoring singles by Hannah Anderson and Gabby Laccona. In the fourth, Alex Wright hit a two-out, two-run double. In the fifth, Brown doubled home two insurance runs with two down.
 
Szczerba took the loss for Rochester. She pitched the opening 0.2 innings, gave up four hits and two earned runs. Hannah Leahy relieved. In 4.0 innings, Leahy allowed four earned runs, nine hits, walked one, and struck out three. Bourne finished up, throwing 1.1 innings. She allowed one base hit.