AMHERST, Mass. – Host Amherst College rebounded from a disappointing first round NCAA playoff loss on Friday to defeat the University of Rochester, 10-0, in an elimination game shortened by the mercy rule. The Mammoths jumped ahead with four runs in the first and two more in the second to take a 6-0 lead. On Friday, Amherst lost to Husson College in the opening round. That set up the elimination game against Amherst.
 
Talia Bloxam and Audrey Orlowski combined for a no-hitter in the five innings. Bloxam went the first four innings with a walk and a strikeout. Orlowski came in to pitch the fifth inning. Her defense allowed one baserunners – Loren Castilloux's hard grounder to short was kicked away and Castilloux reached safely. UR's other base runners were Bailey Nicholoff, who was hit by a pitch in the first inning, and Molly Mason who reached on another infield misplay in the third.
 
Lauren Keys started and took the loss. She yielded four straight hits to start the game – all singles – and all four players came around to score as the Mammoth hitters were able to place the ball into open space. Emily Sharlach relieved with no one out in the first and UR down, 3-0.
 
Sharlach walked Randi Finklestein as the first hitter she faced. That put people on first and second. Amherst stayed with its small-ball philosophy. Jess Butler bunted the runners up a base. Sharlach induced an infield popout for the second out. Sadie Pool drove a single to centerfield. Dani Torres Werra scored on the base hit, but Finklestein was thrown out at home to end the inning with Alexis Klee making a strong throw to Hunter Gilbreath for the tag.
 
The Yellowjackets threw another runner out at home – this one in the second inning. Megan Taketa singled with one down and was doubled to third by Rachel Lovejoy. Autumn Lee grounded to Molly Mason at second. She fired home to Gilbreath for the tag. Torres Werra hit a two-run double for a 6-0 lead. She finished the game with five RBIs and three hits. The top four in the order accounted for nine of the 10 runs and 10 hits.

Ally Kim was named to the All-Regional Team. Virginia Wesleyan won the regional  and will play top-ranked Christopher Newport in the Super Regional in the coming week.
 
Notes: Rochester finishes the season at 26-15. The Yellowjackets won 24 of their last 27 games from March 22 to the present… This was Rochester's ninth NCAA Division III playoff appearance (first one was in 2007) and its 10^th Liberty League/UCAA Championship… The Yellowjackets have played 41 games in the NCAA tournament, counting 2022.