ANNVILLE, PA – No. 15 University of Rochester softball led early and held on late to defeat the 24th-ranked Eastern Connecticut State University Warriors, 5-3, and advance to Saturday's Annville Regional Final on Friday afternoon at LVC Softball Park.
 
Molly Broccolo got the start for UR, and though the Warriors put two runners on in the top of the first against the Webster, NY native, Broccolo struck out Taylor Darby swinging to strand a pair and keep things scoreless headed to the bottom of the first.
 
The Yellowjackets would then quickly take the lead in the bottom of the frame, stringing together three runs on four hits. Ally Kim led off the inning against ECSU's Alyssa Vilchez with an infield single and stole second to move into scoring position.
 
Vilchez would retire the next Yellowjacket batter, but Jenna Gorecki's infield single would score Kim from second and give UR a 1-0 advantage. Hannah Keiper then followed with another single, before Madi Turner blasted Vilchez's first pitch to deep left-center, bringing home Gorecki with a ground-rule double to give Rochester a 2-0 lead.
 
Savannah Nowak then made it 3-0 with a sacrifice fly to deep center, scoring Keiper from third, and the Yellowjackets would lead by three after one.
 
And after allowing a pair of baserunners in the first, Broccolo settled in, working a 1-2-3 second with some help from a 4-3 double play turned by Molly Mason and Keiper.
 
But while the Yellowjackets put runners on in both the second and third, Vilchez stranded Kim at third in the second and a pair in scoring position in the third.
 
Broccolo though, would make quick work of the Warriors in the third, fourth and fifth frames, setting down the side in order in each inning as the first-year retired 11 straight after a one-out walk in the top of the second.
 
Rochester would tack on another run in the bottom of the fifth after back-to-back singles from Bailey Nicholoff and Gorecki forced Eastern Connecticut State to make a pitching change.
 
Carley Stoker relieved Vilchez, but Keiper kept things rolling with a sacrifice fly to center, scoring Nicholoff to extend UR's lead to 4-0. However, Stroker would retire the next two 'Jackets to keep Rochester from extending its lead any further.
 
And in the top of the sixth, the Warriors would start to put together a rally against Broccolo, loading the bases with just one out on Sarah Remillard's single, a walk and a fielder's choice. But after Broccolo struck out Maddi Sauve, the Yellowjackets caught Remillard straying too far off third base, finishing off the inning with a 151436 put-out to keep Eastern Connecticut State off the scoreboard.
 
The Yellowjackets would then tack on an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth, extending their lead to 5-0. Mason led off with a single, taking second on Hunter Gilbreath's sacrifice bunt. A batter later, Kim drew a five-pitch walk to bring up Nicholoff, who stroked an RBI single to right center, scoring Mason to make it a five-run lead.
 
Eastern Connecticut State would finally break through against Broccolo in the top of the seventh, with three-straight hits to start the hitting, cutting into UR's lead. Down 5-1 with two on, Broccolo got Grace Leone to fly out for the second out of the inning, but a wild pitch make it 5-2 before Vilchez made it 5-3 with a single up the middle.
 
The Warriors would then load the bases as Julia SanGiovanni was hit by a pitch, putting the go-ahead run on first base, but Broccolo got Victoria Heaphy to ground into a fielder's choice to escape the jam and finish off the 5-3 victory.
 
#15 Rochester moves to 38-7 with the win, while Eastern Connecticut State falls to 29-11 with the loss.
 
Broccolo (19-2) earned the win, allowing three runs on six hits, walking five and striking out five over 7.0 innings pitched, while Vilchez took the loss for ECSU, allowing four runs on seven hits over 4.0 innings pitched.
 
At the plate, Gorecki and Nicholoff each turned in multi-hit games, with Gorecki going 2-for-3 with a run scored and an RBI, while Nicholoff went 2-for-4 with a run scored and an RBI.
 
Seven different 'Jackets tallied a hit, while seven also scored or drove in a run.
 
With the win, Rochester advances to Saturday's Regional Final, where they'll play either #24 Eastern Connecticut State again, or host Lebanon Valley College, needing just one win to clinch the regional title. First pitch of Saturday's final is scheduled for 12:00 p.m. at LVC Softball Park.