BUFFALO, NY – The University of Rochester softball team got its 2021 season underway on Wednesday night, splitting a nighttime doubleheader at D'Youville College, falling 6-4 in the opening game before winning the nightcap 4-1.
 
In game one, the Yellowjackets (1-1) jumped out to an early lead, plating three runs in the top of the first inning. Alexis Pope led off with a walk and was driven in after back-to-back singles by Marissa Russo and Hannah Keiper. After a pop out, Madi Turner doubled to score Russo and Toni Anne Hahn followed with a sac fly to build the 3-0 lead.
 
The Saints (1-1) answered in the bottom of the inning when leadoff hitter Maddy Pepke hit an inside-the-park home run.
 
The score remained 3-1 until the third when Hahn doubled to left, scoring Keiper, to make UR's lead 4-1.
 
D'Youville evened the game in the bottom of the fourth. After a walk and two singles loaded the bases, Alexa Haberer singled up the middle to drive home two runs. The next batter, Lauren Booth, grounded out to shortstop, allowing the tying run to cross home plate.
 
The Saints got the deciding runs in the sixth. After two singles put runners on first and third, Lauren Vickers put on the squeeze bunt to score the go-ahead run. The next run scored following a strikeout when the ball got away from the catcher.
 
Both Keiper and Sammi Re finished 2-for-3 in the opener for Rochester, with Keiper adding a double and RBI. For D'Youvile, Pepke, Rachel Colan and Vickers each had two hits. In the circle, Hannah Leahy went the distance and allowed nine hits and six runs while striking out five. Haberer was the winner for the Saints and allowed eight hits and four runs with two strikeouts.
 
In game two, Rochester scored single runs in each of the first four innings and Emily Sharlach made that lead stand up. The first-year hurler scattered just three hits in the complete game allowing one run and one walk while fanning six batters.
 
Both Keiber and Re finished with three hits in game two, continuing the hot start to the season. Keiber had a double while Re added a triple, two RBI and a stolen base.
 
Rochester took the 1-0 lead in the opening inning scoring a run after a Saints wild pitch. In the second, Re's triple scored Jen Carson for the 2-0 cushion.
 
Keiper doubled Russo to third and then saw her score on a fielding error in the third inning, while a Re single up the middle scored Carson again for the 4-0 Rochester edge in the fourth inning.
 
D'Youville got on the board in the fifth when Jamie Bower doubled in Mikaela Milleville. The Saints went down 1-2-3 in the final two innings and Rochester posted its first win of the 2021 campaign. Brittaney Goodrich took the loss for D'Youville going five innings while surrendering 7 hits, 4 runs (3 earned) with 4 strikeouts.