SALISBURY, MD – #21 University of Rochester softball picked up their first win of the year in walk-off fashion, topping the Stockton University Osprey, 5-4, in extra innings in game one of their neutral-site doubleheader at the Sea Gull Softball Stadium, before falling in game two to the Osprey, 5-4.
 
With the split, the 21st-ranked Yellowjackets move to 1-3 on the year, while Stockton moves to 1-1.
 
GAME ONE: #21 Rochester 5, Stockton 4 (9 INN.)
Molly Broccolo again took the ball for Rochester in game one, and after working a 1-2-3 top of the first, the 'Jackets gave her a lead to work with in the bottom of the frame.
 
With one out in the first, Bailey Nicholoff was hit by a pitch and stole second. Jenna Gorecki then moved Nicholoff to third with a groundout to short, before Hannah Keiper brought the game's first run home with an RBI single to right, giving the 'Jackets an early 1-0 lead.
 
However, UR's lead would be short-lived, as the Osprey came right back to tie the score in the top of the second. With two outs and a runner at first, Charli Czaczkowski laced a two-out double to the deepest part of the ballpark, scoring Michaela Luyber to even the score at 1-1.
 
Both teams would go in order in the bottom of the second and top of the third, and while Ally Kim drew a leadoff hit-by-pitch to start the third, she was caught stealing, and the score remained knotted at one-all.
 
But after Broccolo again set the Osprey down in order in the top of the fourth, UR scratched out another run to take the lead in the bottom of the frame. Hunter Gilbreath drew a leadoff walk, and Jensen Sminchak, who pinch ran for Gilbreath, took second on Madi Turner's sacrifice bunt.
 
After Marie Kinchington grounded out, moving Sminchak to third, Savannah Nowak gave Rochester a 2-1 lead with a perfectly, placed infield single.
 
But once again, Stockton came right back to even things up in the top of the fifth, and this time, took the lead on Lilly James' two-run double to center, scoring three runs on three hits and two UR errors in the frame to take a 4-2 lead.
 
Nicole Smith relieved Stevie Unger to start the bottom of the fifth, and although UR stretched out a pair of hits against the sophomore, Smith got Turner to fly out to strand a pair in scoring position and keep the Osprey out front by a pair.
 
Broccolo worked around a leadoff single in the sixth, and then set Stockton down in order in the seventh, to bring UR back up to the plate down to their final three outs.
 
Kim got things started, reaching first on an error by Smith, and quickly stealing second to put herself in scoring position. A bunt single by Nicholoff brought the game-winning run to the plate, and Gorecki promptly smashed a two-run single, leveling the score at four-all.
 
But while the 'Jackets loaded the bases as they looked to walk things off, Smith got out of the bases-loaded jam with a double play to send the Yellowjackets and Osprey into extra innings.
 
Neither side got much going in the eighth, with both UR and Stockton leaving a runner on, and Broccolo worked around a leadoff single in the ninth, striking out Maggie Formichelli looking to set the stage for Rochester to walk things off.
 
Again the 'Jackets took advantage of a throwing error, with Loren Castilloux reaching on a throwing error by the third basemen and taking second on the throw. One batter later, Gilbreath smacked a double to right-center, scoring Castilloux to give UR the 5-4 victory.
 
Broccolo (1-1) earned her first career win, allowing four runs, just one of which was earned, on eight hits, striking out four over 9.0 innings pitched. Smith (0-1) took the loss for Stockton, allowing three runs on six hits over 4.1 innings pitched.
 
Six different 'Jackets tallied hits on the afternoon, led by multi-hit performances from Gilbreath, Keiper and Nowak. Gilbreath went 2-for-3 with a double, two runs and the game-winning RBI, Keiper went 2-for-4 with a walk and an RBI, and Nowak went 2-for-4 with an RBI.
 
GAME TWO: Stockton 5, #21 Rochester 4
After a pair of quick innings for both the 'Jackets and Osprey to start things off, Nicholoff broke the seal and got the scoring started with a leadoff home run in the top of the third. A batter later, Kim tripled to right-center, and then another batter later, Gorecki brought her home with an RBI single up the middle, giving Rochester a 2-0 lead.
 
And after Emily Sharlach worked around a two-out double and walk, stranding a pair in the bottom of the third, the Yellowjackets got right back to it, adding to their lead in the top of the fourth.
 
Following a foul out and line out, Turner doubled down the left-field line, and Nicholof followed with a single, putting runners at the corners with two outs. And after Nicholoff stole second, Kinchington smacked a double to right-center, scoring the pair to extend Rochester's lead to 4-0.
 
But with a four-run bottom of the fourth, Stockton quickly tied things up and knocked Sharlach out of the game. Czaczkowski's leadoff single was quickly followed by a two-run blast by Kayla Posten, cutting UR's lead in half, and bringing in Lauren Keys from the bullpen.
 
Stockton kept things rolling against Keys though, and with runners at second and third, James legged out a bunt single, bringing home a pair to level the score at 4-4. The Osprey then loaded the bases, but Keys got Czaczkowski to ground into a fielder's choice to end the threat and keep the score tied at four.
 
However, after both teams went in order in the fifth, and UR left Gilbreath stranded following a leadoff walk in the sixth, James again came through for the Osprey, this time with a solo home run in the bottom of the sixth to give Stockton its first lead of the game, 5-4, before Nerina Tramp worked a 1-2-3 top of the seventh to finish off the comeback victory.
 
Tramp (1-0) earned the win for the Osprey, pitching 3.1 scoreless frames, while Keys (0-2) took the loss, allowing three runs on five hits over 3.0 innings pitched. Sharlach got the start for UR and allowed two runs on four hits over 3.0 innings pitched.
 
At the plate, Nicholoff led the 'Jackets, going 2-for-3 with a home run, two runs scored and an RBI, while Kim went 1-for-4 with a triple and a run scored, and Kinchington knocked in a pair, going 1-for-1 with a double and two RBI.
 
Rochester next heads south to Kissimmee, FL for The Spring Games, beginning on Monday, March 6 with matchups against Mount Union at 9 a.m., and Husson at 11:30 a.m.