University of Rochester softball set a new program record with their 20-game winning streak, breaking the previous record of 18 set back in 2022 with a doubleheader sweep of Clarkson University on Friday afternoon at Scott Field. The Yellowjackets came back from an early deficit to take game one, 8-4, before hammering the Golden Knights in game two, 9-0, to finish off the sweep.
 
With the two wins, Rochester moves to 23-5 (6-0 LL) on the season, while the Golden Knights drop to 14-12 (2-4 LL).
 
GAME ONE: Rochester 8, Clarkson 4
After the Yellowjackets went in order in the top of the first, Clarkson took an early lead in the bottom of the frame. The Golden Knights strung together three-straight, one-out singles against Molly Broccolo before Riley Page snuck a single through the right side, scoring a pair to give Clarkson a 2-0 lead.
 
And while Broccolo would retire the next two batters via a pair of groundouts, the 'Jackets would be forced to play from behind for the first time since April 2 against SUNY Cortland.
 
Savannah Nowak would pick up UR's first hit in the top of the second, a two-out double to left center, but Page would strand the sophomore at second base, retiring the next batter with a flyout to left.
 
However, after Broccolo worked a 1-2-3 bottom of the second, striking out a pair, the 'Jackets struck for four in the top of the third to take the lead. Page struck out the first two batters of the inning, but back-to-back-to-back doubles by Ally Kim, Bailey Nicholoff and Jenna Gorecki jumpstarted a two-out rally and evened the score at two-all.
 
Hannah Keiper then laced an RBI single to left center, scoring Gorecki to take a 3-2 lead, before Madi Turner made it 4-2 with UR's fourth double of the inning, scoring Keiper to give Rochester a two-run lead.
 
Clarkson would get one back on Bridget Kerwin's two-out, RBI single in the bottom of the frame, but the Nicholoff would throw Page out trying to go from first to third to end the inning and keep Rochester in front by a run.
 
Both teams then went scoreless in the fourth, before Rochester tacked on a few more in the top of the fifth. Kim again got the offense going with a double, as the Yellowjackets tied the single-game program record with seven doubles in game one.
 
After Nicholoff flew out to left, Gorecki blasted a two-run shot to right, giving Rochester a 6-3 lead. The Yellowjackets would then make it 7-3 on Molly Mason's leadoff homer in the top of the sixth, before Loren Castilloux pinch-hit for Hunter Gilbreath, reached on an error and came around to score on another Clarkson defensive miscue to make it an 8-3 UR lead.
 
In the bottom of the sixth, back-to-back doubles by Kaya Johnson and Katy Aldous made it an 8-4 'Jacket lead, but Lauren Keys relieved Broccolo and retired the next two Golden Knights batters, before working a 1-2-3 bottom of the seventh, inducing a trio of flyouts to finish off the 8-4 victory, UR's 19th straight.
 
Broccolo (13-2) picked up the win, allowing four runs on 12 hits while striking out four, while Page (9-5) took the loss for Clarkson, allowing eight runs on 10 hits. Keys pitched 1.2 innings of scoreless relief out of the bullpen, holding the Golden Knights without a hit.
 
Three 'Jackets turned hit multi-hit performances, led by Gorecki's 2-for-4 day with a double, home run, two runs scored and three RBI. Kim went 2-for-4 with two doubles, two runs scored and an RBI, while Keiper went 2-for-4 with a double, run scored and RBI.
 
As a team, UR tallied seven doubles to tie the single-game program record, set at RIT on April 15, 2022.
 
GAME TWO: Rochester 9, Clarkson 0
Though the Yellowjackets would leave two on in the top of the first, Emily Sharlach got rolling in the circle in the bottom of the frame, retiring the first 11 Golden Knights the senior faced.
 
Sharlach set Clarkson down in order in the first, second and third innings, before Rochester got on the scoreboard first in the top of the fourth.
 
Turner led off the inning with an infield single and advanced to second on Mason's sacrifice bunt. Devin Fitzpatrick retired the next Yellowjacket she faced, but Jensen Sminchak then legged out an infield single, bringing home Loren Castilloux, who pinch-ran for Turner, to come around to score to give UR a 1-0 lead.
 
And while the Golden Knights broke up Sharlach's no-hitter in the bottom of the frame, the West Windsor, NJ native got  Zoey Kovach to pop out to end the inning, and send Rochester back up to the plate in the top of the fifth.
 
Rochester would add another run in the top of the fifth on Turner's bases-loaded RBI single, extending their lead to 2-0 before UR would blow the game open in the seventh.
 
Meanwhile, Sharlach worked around a one-out double, keeping the Golden Knights off the scoreboard in the fifth and pitched a 1-2-3 sixth, before Rochester put up a crooked number in the seventh, scoring seven runs on five hits and two Clarkson errors to put the game out of reach.
 
Kim led off the inning, reached on an error and stole second, before Nicholoff was hit by a pitch two put two on with nobody out. Gorecki got the scoring started with an RBI single to center, scoring Kim to make it a 3-0 ballgame before Keiper and Turner added two more RBI singles to give Rochester a 5-0 lead.
 
Mason added another single, the 'Jackets' fourth-in-a-row in the inning, to re-load the bases for Nowak, who reached on an error, allowing Keiper to come home to score to make it a 6-0 lead. Sminchak then picked up another RBI with a fielder's choice, before Allison Beckwith pinch-hit for Alexis Klee and made it 8-0 with an RBI groundout to short.
 
Kim then stepped up to the plate again and capped off the seven-run frame with an RBI double to left, giving the 'Jackets a 9-0 lead.
 
And while the Golden Knights notched their third hit of the afternoon against Sharlach, the senior struck Kerwin out looking to finish off the game, and the 9-0 UR victory.
 
Sharlach (4-1) earned the win, pitching a complete-game, three-hit shutout while striking out four. Fitzpatrick (5-5) took the loss for Clarkson, allowing nine runs, three earned, on 11 hits.
 
Kim and Turner each tallied three hits to lead Rochester at the plate, with Kim going 3-for-5 with a double, three stolen bases, two runs scored and an RBI, while Turner went 3-for-4 with a run scored and two RBI.
 
Eight different Yellowjackets scored a run, while nine drove in a run against the Golden Knights, as UR tallied nine runs on 11 hits and two walks.
 
The Yellowjackets next head to Canton, NY to continue Liberty League play with a doubleheader against St. Lawrence on Saturday, April 22. First pitch is scheduled for 1:00 p.m.