SALISBURY, MD – First-Year Molly Broccolo twirled a gem in her Yellowjacket debut, but No. 21 University of Rochester softball was swept by the 3rd-ranked Salisbury University Sea Gulls, 11-1 in a run-rule-shortened five innings, and 2-1, in their season-opening doubleheader on Thursday at the Sea Gull Softball Stadium.
 
GAME ONE: #3 Salisbury 11, #21 Rochester 1 (5 INN)
After the 'Jackets went in order in the top of the first, Lauren Keys got the start for UR against the 3rd-ranked Sea Gulls. Jillian Daws worked a one-out single against Keys, but Hunter Gilbreath caught Daws stealing, and after a two-out walk, Keys got Maddison Lednum to pop out to end the first.
 
However, after Rochester again went 1-2-3 in the second, the Sea Gulls struck first in the bottom of the frame. Emma Coldsnow drew a lead-off hit-by-pitch, and after Lauren Meyer popped out to short, Emily Stockman gave Salisbury a 2-0 lead with her two-run shot to left.
 
The Sea Gulls would tack on two more in the inning on Sam Flower's RBI triple and Abby Mace's solo shot, extending their lead to 4-0, before adding seven more in the third to extend their lead.
 
A lead-off, solo home run by Lednum got Salisbury started in the bottom of the third, as the Sea Gulls scored seven runs on four hits, capped off by Mace's grand-slam home run, to take an 11-0 lead after three.
 
In the top of the fourth, Rochester would get on the scoreboard for the first time this season on Jenna Gorecki's RBI single, scoring Bailey Nicholoff from second, but Madison Taylor got a strikeout and pop out to strand a pair and prevent UR from cutting the lead any further.
 
Maddie White then worked around a fielding error to keep the Sea Gulls off the scoreboard in the fourth, but Nicole Ortega set UR down in order in the fifth to finish off the 11-1, five-inning, run-rule victory for Salisbury.
 
Savannah Sheats (1-0) earned the win for the Sea Gulls, striking out three over three innings pitched, while Keys (0-1) took the loss for UR, allowing four runs over 1.2 innings pitched.
 
Gorecki tallied UR's lone hit and RBI, while Hannah Keiper added a walk.
 
GAME TWO: #3 Salisbury 2, #21 Rochester 1
Ally Kim got things started for the Yellowjackets in game two, singling to the pitcher to leadoff to the top of the first to give Rochester it's first running in scoring position of the game. Kim would take second on Nicholoff's fly out to center, but Lindsey Windsor set down the next two 'Jackets to strand Kim at third.
 
Broccolo got the start for UR in game two, and worked around a two-out walk, getting three groundouts to keep things scoreless after one. The first-year kept things rolling, with three more groundouts in the second, before the 'Jackets threatened with another running in scoring position in the third.
 
Alexis Klee led off the frame with a triple, but a batter later, Klee was thrown out at home on Nicholoff's bloop single, keeping Rochester off the scoreboard.
 
However, after Broccolo twirled another scoreless frame, Gorecki got the 'Jackets on the scoreboard in the top of the fourth, giving UR the lead with a solo shot to center.
 
UR's 1-0 lead would hold for another two frames, as Broccolo worked around a two-out double in the fourth and set Salisbury down in order in the fifth before the Sea Gulls eked out a pair in the sixth.
 
Jillian Dawson led off the bottom of the sixth with an infield single and stole second, putting the game-tying run in scoring position. Windsor then stretched a single just out of Keiper's reach down the right-field line, evening the score at one apiece.
 
A pair of fielder's choices and a fly out put runners at the corners with two outs, but before Broccolo could send things to the seventh, Ellen Stockman reached on a fielding error, allowing McKenna Horner to come around to score and give Salisbury a 2-1 lead.
 
Nicole Ortega then worked a 1-2-3 top of the seventh, striking out a pair to seal the 2-1 victory for the Sea Gulls.
 
Broccolo (0-1) took the loss for UR, allowing two runs, one earned, on four hits, walking two and striking out three over six innings pitched. Ortega (1-0) picked up the win for Salisbury, pitching a pair of scoreless frames.
 
Gorecki again led the 'Jackets at the plate, going 1-for-3 with a home run, run scored and RBI, while Kim went 2-for-3 with a triple and stolen base.
 
Rochester will look to bounce back and pick up their first win of the year, when they face Stockton University in a neutral-site doubleheader in Salisbury, MD beginning at 1:30 p.m.