No. 24 Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute snapped 18th-ranked University of Rochester softball's program-record 24-game win streak with a 4-3 game-one victory, but the Yellowjackets bounced back to take game two, 7-0, and split the doubleheader on Saturday at Southside Field.
 
With the split, #18 Rochester moves to 28-6 (9-1 LL) on the year, while RPI moves to 29-7 (11-1 LL).
 
GAME ONE: #24 RPI 4, #18 Rochester 3
Emily Sharlach got the start in game one and worked around a leadoff single in the top of the first, and pitched a 1-2-3 top of the second, but after UR left runners in scoring position in the bottom of both frames, the Engineers struck first to take the lead.
 
Sydney Speanburg got RPI started in the top of the third with a leadoff double, taking third on Madison Brooks's sacrifice bunt. Erin Askins drew a walk to put runners at the corner for Catherine Worthington, who grounded into a fielder's choice, as Madi Turner threw Speanburg out trying to score from third.
 
But after Gabby Comeau loaded the bases with a hit-by-pitch, Callista Adorno laced a two-run single to right, and Alex Ledger followed with a two-run double to give the Engineers a 4-0 advantage.
 
Lauren Keys relieved Sharlach and got Liv Vizzini to pop out to prevent any more damage, but Alexis Cooke would strand another 'Jacket in scoring position in the bottom of the frame, and RPI led 4-0 after three.
 
Keys settled things down, working around a leadoff single by Evann McDowell to keep RPI from extending its lead in the fourth before Rochester broke through in the bottom of the inning.  
 
Turner reached on and took second on an error to lead off the inning, and after Jensen Sminchak pinch-ran for the senior and stole third, Hunter Gilbreath walked to put runners at the corners. And while Gilbreath would be thrown out trying to steal second, Sminchak would score before the tag to cut RPI's lead down to three, 4-1.
 
Neither team got much going in the fifth before RPI threatened to add to their lead in the sixth. But Maddie White relieved Keys and got a pair of pop-outs to strand a pair.
 
In the bottom of the sixth, Hannah Keiper led off with a double, and Turner followed with a two-run blast to cut the Engineer's lead down to just one.
 
However, the Engineers went back to Cooke, who was relieved by Brooke Sroczinski to start the fifth, and the RPI senior retired the next three batters to finish off the sixth, before setting down UR in order in the bottom of the seventh to pull out the 4-3 victory.
 
Sharlach (4-2) took the loss for Rochester, allowing four runs on four hits, striking out two over 2.2 innings pitched. Cooke (12-3) earned the win for RPI, allowing one unearned run on two hits, striking out five over 6.0 innings pitched.
 
Keys and White combined to pitch 4.1 scoreless innings out of the bullpen, with Keys recording a strikeout.
 
The 'Jackets were held to just four hits at the plate, with Turner going 1-for-3 with a home run, run scored and two RBI, while Keiper and Bailey Nicholoff each tallied doubles.
 
GAME TWO: #18 Rochester 7, #24 RPI 0
While Molly Broccolo no-hit the Engineers through the first five frames, Rochester struck first in game two in the bottom of the second.
 
Jenna Gorecki picked up UR's first hit, a two-out double, in the first, before the Yellowjackets would load the bases on a pair of walks and a hit-by-pitch in the bottom of the second.
 
With Loren Castilloux at third, Molly Mason at second and Alexis Klee at first, Ally Kim worked a two-out walk to bring home a run and give the 'Jackets a 1-0 lead.
 
And after Broccolo worked around a two-out hit-by-pitch in the third, Keiper doubled UR's lead with a towering, solo shot down the left-field line.
 
Broccolo then struck out the side in the fourth, and the 'Jackets would scratch out three runs in the bottom of the inning, taking advantage of a pair of defensive miscues by the Engineers.
 
After Gilbreath drew another walk and Klee was hit by a pitch, RPI made a pitching change, bringing in Sroczinski to replace Erika Holowka with the top of the order coming to the plate. A double steal then put runners on second and third for Kim, who reached on an error to bring two runs home and extend UR's lead to 4-0.
 
Kim would steal second and take third on Nicholoff's groundout, and after Gorecki worked another walk, Kim would come home to score on an errant throw by RPI's catcher to make it a 5-0 lead.
 
The Engineers would look to answer in the top of the fifth, tallying their first two hits off Broccolo. But Mason made a fine defensive play to nab McDowell at second on a fielder's choice, and then Turner again threw out a runner at home, before Broccolo finished the job, getting Askins to line out to Turner to end the threat and keep RPI off the scoreboard.
 
Rochester would add one more in the bottom of the sixth on Gorecki's RBI double, scoring Kim to make it a 7-0 lead, before Broccolo worked a 1-2-3 seventh to finish off the victory and split the doubleheader.
 
Broccolo (16-2) earned the win, holding RPI to just three hits and five total baserunners, striking out six over 7.0 innings pitched. Holowka (12-2) took the loss for RPI, allowing four runs, three earned, on two hits over 3.0 innings pitched.
 
Kim went 1-for-3 with two runs scored and two RBI to lead UR at the plate, while Gorecki went 2-for-3 with a walk, two doubles, a run scored and an RBI and Keiper went 1-for-3 with a walk, home run, run scored and RBI.
 
With Sunday's doubleheader vs. Skidmore postponed due to expected inclement weather, Rochester next heads to Schenectady, NY for a conference doubleheader against Union College on Saturday, May 6 at 1:00 p.m.