LEESBURG, FL – University of Rochester softball swept its two contests on Wednesday afternoon at The Spring Games, edging McMurry University, 3-2, before topping the University of Wisconsin-Platteville, 8-1, at the Sleepy Hollow Sports Complex. With the two wins, Rochester moves to 6-4 on the season, while the War Hawks fall to 12-4 and the Pioneers now sit at 8-2 on the year.
 
GAME ONE: Rochester 3, McMurry 2
After a quiet first two frames, McMurry looked to strike first in the bottom of the second. Three singles loaded the bases for the War Hawks, but Molly Broccolo got a lineout and groundout right back to the pitcher to strand the bases loaded and keep things scoreless after two.
 
Then in the top of the third, Rochester put together a two-out rally to score a pair and take the lead. Julianna Lyons led off the inning with an infield single, and Jensen Sminchak reached on an error to put two on with nobody out. Baylee Fulps would get the next two Yellowjackets to each ground into a fielder's choice, but after Riley Laygo stole second to put runners at second and third, Hannah Keiper mashed a two-run double over the centerfielder's head to give UR a 2-0 lead.
 
The War Hawks answered back in the bottom of the third, again putting two on with nobody out following back-to-back singles. A groundout kept McMurry off the scoreboard for a moment, but Mecedes Camacho hit a flyout to center just deep enough to score a run, as Jade Dickens slid in just ahead of Bailey Nicholoff's tag to pull McMurry within one.
 
In the top of the fourth, UR would add another, taking advantage of one of four fielding errors by the War Hawks. With two outs, Ilana Weiss and Lyons hit back-to-back singles to bring up Sminchak, who reached on a fielding error, allowing Weiss to come around to score to make it a 3-1 lead.
 
That run would prove pivotal as McMurry answered with one of their own in the bottom of the frame. Just like UR, the War Hawks took advantage of a pair of fielding errors, bringing a run home to make it 3-2. But Broccolo got Sophia Fuller to ground into a double play to squash the rally and keep the 'Jackets up by a run.
 
Both teams went to the bullpen in the fifth, with Emmalee Gebhart relieving Fulps for McMurry, and Maddie White taking over for UR. Both struck out a pair in the fifth and added another in the sixth.
 
Then in the bottom of the seventh, White worked another 1-2-3 frame, setting down her ninth-straight War Hawk to nail down the save and give Rochester a 3-2 victory.
 
Broccolo (2-2) picked up the win, allowing two runs, one earned, on seven hits over 4.0 innings pitched, while White earned the save, her first of the season, striking out three over 3.0 innings pitched.
 
For the War Hawks, Fulps (5-1) took the loss, allowing three unearned runs on five hits over 4.0 innings pitched.
 
At the plate, Lyons tallied UR's lone multi-hit game, going 2-for-2, while Keiper drove in a pair, going 1-for-4 with a  double and two RBI.
 
GAME TWO: Rochester 8, Wis. Platteville 1
Lauren Keys took the ball for game two against the Pioneers, and with some help from a caught stealing, worked around two singles in the top of the first.
 
The Yellowjackets then came to the plate in the bottom of the frame and got things going offensively, scoring three runs on one hit, taking advantage of a pair of Platteville errors. Nicholoff led off the frame, reaching and taking second on a throwing error by the shortstop, before taking third on a wild pitch. Keiper drew a walk to put runners at the corners for Marie Kinchington, whose RBI single brought home Nicholoff to make a 1-0 lead
 
Molly Mason then reached on an error to load the bases, while a hit-by-pitch drawn by Hunter Gilbreath and Weiss' walk made it a 3-0 lead, forcing the Pioneers to make an early pitching change.
 
With a three-run advantage, Keys set the Pioneers down in order in the top of the second, and the Yellowjackets doubled their lead in the bottom of the frame.
 
Nicholoff again led off the inning, this time with a double, taking third on a passed ball. An infield single by Laygo brought Nicholoff home to make it 4-0, while Keiper followed with a single up the middle to put two on with nobody out. Jordan Johnson retired the next two batters, but with two outs, Lyons plated two more with a two-run single to left, giving UR a 6-0 lead.
 
After Keys worked another 1-2-3 inning, the 'Jackets would look to add a few more in the bottom of the third, loading the bases with two outs, but Mia Savage worked out of the jam, keeping UR's lead at 6-0.
 
Wisconsin-Platteville broke through in the top of the fifth, forcing Rochester to make a pitching change with two on and nobody out. Laygo relieved Keys, and while the Pioneers pushed a run across on a fielder's choice, Laygo got another groundout to get out of the inning without any more damage.
 
Rochester then answered in the bottom of the frame, with Nicholoff and Laygo again combining for back-to-back hits. Nicholoff led off the bottom of the inning with a double, and Laygo followed with a triple to deep center, scoring Nicholoff to extend the lead to 7-1. Keiper then brought Laygo home with a sacrifice bunt, making it a 9-1 advantage.
 
The Pioneers again threatened in the top of the sixth, but Laygo stranded a pair, and after UR notched a hit in the bottom of the sixth, Laygo pitched a 1-2-3 seventh to finish off the victory.
 
Keys (3-1) earned the win, allowing one run on three hits over 4.0 innings pitched, while Carlie Jo Brownlee (2-2) took the loss for Platteville, allowing three runs, none of which were earned, on one hit over 0.2 innings pitched. Laygo tossed three scoreless innings of relief, earning her first career save.
 
Laygo and Nicholoff led UR at the plate, with Laygo going 3-for-4 with a triple, run scored and two RBI, while Nicholoff hit two doubles, going 2-for-3 with three runs scored.
 
Rochester will wrap up its week in Florida with two contests against Loras and Lakeland on Thursday, March 14 in Kissimmee, FL at the Fortune Road Athletic Complex beginning at 4:15 p.m.