18th-ranked University of Rochester softball picked up its 29th and 30th wins of the regular season, reaching the 30-win mark for just the fifth time in program history, as the 'Jackets wrapped up their road slate with a doubleheader sweep of Union College (NY) on Saturday at Alexander Field. Rochester came from behind to defeat the Dutchwomen, 6-4, in game one before topping Union in game two, 4-2.
 
With the sweep, the Yellowjackets move to 30-6 (11-1 LL) on the year, while Union falls to 13-18 (5-8 LL). Rochester will next wrap up the regular season against Skidmore College on Sunday, May 7 with a doubleheader at Southside Field beginning at 1:00 p.m.
 
GAME ONE: #18 Rochester 6, Union (NY) 4
Neither the Yellowjackets nor the Dutchwomen could get much going offensively till Union struck first in the bottom of the fourth. Olivia Valery led off the inning with a single against Molly Broccolo, and Ellie Wintringe followed up a double to put runners on second and third. A fielding error then loaded the bases for Anna Zdunczyk, who brought two runners home with a two-run single to give Union a 2-0 lead.
 
With nobody out and still two one, Rochester made a call to the bullpen, bringing in Maddie White to relieve Broccolo, and the first-year got out of the jam without allowing another run, striking out a pair to keep Union up by just two.
 
The Yellowjackets would get both runs back in the top of the fifth, with back-to-back hits from Savannah Nowak and Molly Mason to lead off the frame. Nowak doubled, and Mason followed with an infield, bunt single to put runners at the corners with nobody out. An errant throw by Union's catcher allowed Nowak to score to make it 2-1, before Hunter Gilbreath tied the game with an RBI double to left, leveling the score at two-all.
 
But the Dutchwomen would answer right back and retake the lead in the bottom of the frame. Though White retired Union's leadoff batter, A pair of singles put runners on first and second for Wintringe, who stroked a two-run double down the left-field line to again give Union a two-run lead.
 
Emily Sharlach relieved White and got out of the inning without any more damage, but the Dutchwomen led 4-2 after five.
 
UR would plate one in the top of the sixth, pulling within one on Madi Turner's sacrifice fly, but Amanda Granato would leave the game-tying run stranded at second base, and Union would head to the seventh up 4-3.
 
However, the 'Jackets bats finally broke through in a big way in the final frame, as back-to-back singles by Alexis Klee and Ally Kim put the go-ahead run on base and brought Bailey Nicholoff to the plate. Nicholoff promptly evened the score at 4-4 with an RBI double, before Jenna Gorecki's sacrifice fly gave Rochester its first lead, 5-4.
 
Keiper would make it 6-4 with another RBI base hit, and Sharlach would then work a 1-2-3 bottom of the seventh to earn the win and finish off the comeback victory for the Yellowjackets.
 
Sharlach (5-2) earned the win, striking out one over 2.2 innings of relief. Broccolo got the start for UR, allowing two runs on six hits over 3.0 innings pitched, while White allowed two runs on three hits, striking out two over 1.1 innings pitched.
 
For Union, Granato (5-9) took the loss, allowing six runs, five earned, on 11 hits over 6.2 innings pitched.
 
Gilbreath (2-for-3 with a double and RBI), Keiper (2-for-4 with a double and RBI) and Nicholoff (2-for-4 with a stolen base, double, run scored and RBI) each tallied two hits, as UR hit four doubles and two sacrifice flies.
 
GAME TWO: #18 Rochester 4, Union (NY) 2
On the first pitch of game two, Kim would give Rochester a 1-0 lead with a solo home run, as the 'Jackets struck first against Union (NY).
 
In the circle for Rochester, Lauren Keys would work a 1-2-3 first, left two on in the second and worked around a one-out single in the third, before Rochester doubled its lead in the fourth.
 
Keiper led off the inning, reached on an error and was pinch-ran for by Jensen Sminchak. And after Sminchak stole third, Turner brought home another run with a sacrifice fly, extending UR's lead to 2-0.
 
Keys would strand two more in the fourth, working around two more singles, but the Dutchwomen would break through in the bottom of the fifth, knotting the score at two-all on Karson Saunders's two-run triple to right-center.
 
Again though, the 'Jackets brought in Sharlach out of the bullpen, and the senior worked out of the inning without any more damage, stranding Saunders at third to keep the score even at 2-2.
 
And after Sharlach pitched a 1-2-3 sixth, the 'Jackets took advantage of a Union error in the top of the seventh, plating two on Gorecki's fielder's choice to take a 4-2 lead into the final frame.
 
Tatum Perkins pinch-hit to lead off the inning and worked a leadoff walk, but Sharlach retired the next three Dutchwomen to keep Union off the scoreboard and again finish off the Rochester victory.
 
Sharlach (6-2) again earned the win, pitching 2.2 innings of scoreless softball, while Keys took a no-decision, allowing two runs on six hits over 4.1 innings pitched.
 
Autumn Duff (4-5) took the loss for Union (NY), allowing four runs, but just one earned, on seven hits over 6.1 innings pitched.
 
Kim led UR at the plate, going 2-for-4 with a home run, two runs scored and an RBI, while Klee went 2-for-3 with a double and a run scored.

Rochester will next wrap up the regular season with a home, conference doubleheader against Skidmore on Sunday, May 7 at 1:00 p.m. at Southside Field.