SOUTHSIDE FIELD – Rochester broke out the bats in the first game of a softball doubleheader against St. John Fisher College while the Cardinals used a solid pitching performance to win game two. Both teams were ranked in the Top 25 Division III poll of the National Fastpitch Coaches Association this week. Rochester broke into the poll at #25 while Fisher held down the #12 spot.
 
In game one, the Yellowjackets amassed 12 hits, came within one out of a no-hitter, and won, 9-1, on the mercy rule. The Cardinals answered in game two with a vital pitching performance by Jess Patterson – particularly in the seventh inning - and two late runs to win, 3-1.
 
Rochester is 24-7 with the split. The Yellowjackets play a four-game Liberty League series this weekend against RPI. The games on Saturday are in Troy. UR returns home for a Sunday DH at Southside field.
 
St. John Fisher, which had a 10-game winning streak halted with the loss to Rochester, is 23-3 with the split. The Cardinals will play at Elmira on Saturday afternoon to finish their regular season.
 
Game One:
Just four days after throwing only the seventh no-hitter in softball history at Rochester, Hannah Leahy came within one out of doing it again. She struck out three, walked one, and stranded four runners – two in scoring position. She raised her record to 10-3 and lowered her ERA to 2.67.
 
SJFC threatened as early as the second inning. Megan Kreger reached on an error, was bunted to second, and moved to third when Madi Turner caught a long foul fly down the right side. Leahy retired Allison Rogowski on a liner to center to end it. In the fourth, SJFC got a runner as far as second before an infield pop ended the inning.

Meanwhile, Rochester scored single runs in the first (using speed) and second (unearned), then broke it open in the third: six runs (four earned) on five hits and two Cardinal errors. They led,, 8-0, going into the top of the fifth. Leahy retired Rogowski on a fly to left and Emma Smith on a fly to right. Maddie Klidonas spoiled the no-hit bit with a double to right center and Emily Trotman, who pitched for Fisher, stroked an RBI single to right. Leahy ended it with a groundout.
 
Rochester got the run back immediately to clinch the short-time victory. Jen Carson, who was 3-3 and scored three runs, singled to center. Madi Turner, who was also 3-3, doubled up the right centerfield gap and Carson raced home, just sliding under the tag.
 
In the first, Marissa Russo walked and stole second. Sammi Re singled to third with Russo crossing to third base. With Alizah Ayon at bat, Re stole second. The Cardinals threw through, but couldn't get her and Russo raced home for a 1-0 lead.
 
Carson doubled with two down in the second. Turner singled off the second baseman's glove with Carson advancing. Hunter Gilbreath's fly to left field was dropped, scoring Carson.
 
Two of the first three runs in the six-run third were unearned. Re reached on a throwing error after her grounder. Alizah Ayon doubled her to third. Alexis Klee ran for Ayon. Toni Anne Hahn's sac fly to center scored Re. Hannah Keiper dropped a single into left, moving Klee to third. Keiper stole second. Alexis Pope's single scored Klee and Keiper went to third. Pope started off first. The Cardinals threw the ball away on the steal attempt as Pope retreated. Keiper scored. Carson doubled in one and Turner clubbed a two-run home run to left.
 
In four innings of work, Trotman allowed 11 hits, nine runs (six earned), walked one, hit one, and fanned one. She is 11-2.
 
Game Two:
Jess Patterson earned her 12^th complete game of the season and her 12^th win by throwing a four-hitter and getting out of a big seventh inning jam. Through six innings, Patterson and UR's Emily Sharlach were locked up in a duel.  Sharlach allowed three hits in that span with no walks and four strikeouts.
 
In the seventh, Fisher pinch-hitter Kenzie Bowerman lined a first-pitch home run off the left field foul pole. Rachel Evans followed with a single. Leahy replaced Sharlach. Ragowski singled up the middle, putting runners at the corners. Leahy fanned Lyndsey Murray, but a single from Klodonas scored Evans for a 3-1 lead.
 
Turner grounded out, starting the seventh for Rochester. Gilbreath lined a single to right and Marissa Russo dropped a single into center field just out of the reach of Sammie Torlish at short. Re walked on four pitches, loading the bases.
 
Patterson, who was throwing as hard in the seventh as she was in the first, ran the count to 0-2 on Ayon before getting her to foul out to third base. She went 1-1 on Hahn and ended the game by retiring Hahn on a popup to short.
 
She finished with seven strikeouts, five walks, one hit batsman, and four hits allowed. The Rochester run was earned.
 
Sharlach absorbed the loss. In six innings, she allowed five hits, three runs (two earned), and struck out four. She is 8-3.
 
Rochester scored one in the second. Keiper walked. Pope flied out and Carson bounced back to the mound with Keiper rushing to second. Turner singled her to third and Gilbreath walked, filling the bases. Patterson uncorked a wild pitch that brought Keiper home for a 1-0 lead.
 
She settled down after that, retiring nine of the next 10 batters (Gilbreath walked with one out in the fifth). Re's ground ball to short was thrown away. Gilbreath got to third but Re was thrown out trying to advance to second. That ended the threat.
 
Fisher evened it in the fourth. Maria Marcera singled to right and was bunted to second. She reached third when a ground ball was mishandled. Sharlach got a strikeout, but Evans punched a single through short scoring the tying run. Sharlach retired seven straight, heading into the seventh inning.
 
Rochester, meanwhile, had a chance to break the tie in the sixth. Ayon singled and Klee ran for her. Hahn tried to bunt, but was struck by her own batted ball, and ruled out with Klee forced to hold at first. Keiper was hit by a pitch, bringing on Erin Bevec as a pinch runner. Patterson struck out Pope and retired Carson on a fly to left.