SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Rochester's bats erupted for 28 runs in a doubleheader sweep of Skidmore College in the Liberty League softball opener for both institutions. The win was the sixth in a row for UR (8-12 overall, 2-0 Liberty League). Skidmore is 16-6 overall, 0-2 in the league.
 
The Yellowjackets rallied from an early 4-1 deficit in game one to win, 13-5. In the nightcap, Rochester scored nine runs in the first inning, then added six more in the fourth to secure a 15-1 victory, shortened to five innings.
 
Rochester totaled 25 hits in the two wins. Bailey Nicholoff hit three home runs – a three-run shot in the seventh inning of game one and a pair of two-run HRs in the top of the first inning in game two. She finished with 10 RBIs for the day.
 
Game One:
Rochester 13, Skidmore 5: Rochester fell behind, 4-1 in the third inning to the Thoroughbreds. Meghan Robertson's double brought home Megan White with the tying run. Hannah Davis then clubbed a two-run home run to give the hosts the lead. Christin Napierkowski relieved Emily Sharlach for the Yellowjackets. She surrendered a solo HR to Kaitlyn Judd that left the Yellowjackets trailing, 4-1.

 

UR scored in the next four innings to seize the win. They cut the lead to 4-2 in the fourth on an RBI double by Allison Beckwith. In the fifth, Hunter Gilbreath doubled down the left field line to get within one run. Gilbreath later scored on a Skidmore error, tying the game at 4-4.
 
Nicholoff singled home the tiebreaking run in the sixth and Gilbreath extended the lead to 8-4 with  three-run blast over the centerfield fence. In the seventh, Alexis Klee had a two-run single and Nicholoff hit a three-run HR.
 
Five players had two hits for the Yellowjackets: Ally Kim, Nicholoff, Gilbreath, Molly Mason, and Klee. Hannah Keiper was 4-for-5 with two runs scored. The Yellowjackets had seven extra-base hitsa. Nicholoff and Gilbreath had home runs. Klee hit a triple. Kim, Keiper, Gilbreath, and Beckwith had doubles.
 
The win went to Christin Napierkowski in relief. She pitched 4.2 innings, allowing four hits, two earned runs, walked one, and fanned one. It is her first collegiate victory. Sharlach allowed three hits, three earned runs, with a walk and two strikeouts in 2.1 IP. Davis took the loss for Skidmore (6.0 IP, 14 hits, 13 runs, 11 ERs, no walks, six strikeouts, and three hit-by-pitches.)
 
Rochester stole six bases – three by Kim, one each by Madi Turner, Mason, and Kristen Myers.
 
Game Two:
Rochester 15, Skidmore 1:
Nicholoff hit two two-run home runs in the first inning to ignite the nine-run burst. She finished with three hits in three at-bats, scored two runs, and drove in six. Turner had three hits. Beckwith had two hits. Kim and Klee had one hit apiece.
 
It happened quickly. Kim walked and stole second. Nicholoff homered down the left field line. With one down,  Beckwith singles and Gilbreath walked to put two aboard. Turner doubled to right center scoring Beckwith. Skidmore changed pitchers. Savannah Nowak reached on a fielder's choice. Gilbreath was forced at home for the second out. Klee was hit by a pitch to force in a run. Kim doubled home two runs and the third one scored on a fielding error by SC.  Nicholoff hit her second two-run HR of the inning to complete the scoring.
 
In the fourth, Jenna Gorecki brought home a run with an RBI groundout. Klee singled with the bases loaded. Kim reached as a hit batsman to force home another run. Nicholoff lined a two-run double to right center (14-1) and Beckwith's groundout scored Kim for the 15^th run.
 
Lauren Keys pitched a complete-game five hitter for her third collegiate victory. In five innings, she allowed one earned run, walked one, and struck out four. Skidmore's Linndsey Raimondi took the loss (2.2 IP, eight hits, 11 earned runs).
 
On Monday, Rochester will play at RPI. The DH was originally scheduled for Saturday, but anticipated poor weather conditions postponed the event by two days. RPI is 2-0 in the league as well. The Engineers swept RIT on Sunday.