KISSIMMEE, FL – University of Rochester softball bounced back from a game-one defeat at the hands of the Loras College Duhawks to finish their time at The Spring Games on a high note, topping Lakeland University, 2-1, on Thursday evening at the Fortune Road Athletic Complex. With the split, the Yellowjackets head back to Rochester at 7-5, while Loras moves to 7-4 on the year and Lakeland sits at 5-3.
 
GAME ONE: Loras 4, Rochester 0
After both teams went in order in the first, Loras scored the game's first run in the bottom of the second inning. Clare Murphy led off the inning, reached on an error and was pinch-ran for by Karlee Berge. Berge took second on Emily Monahan's sacrifice bunt and third on Whitney Leipold's single before Olivia Martinelli gave the Duhawks the lead with a sacrifice fly to left.
 
Maddie White got out of the inning with a strikeout of Gillian Jones, but after Ashlyn Hemm pitched a 1-2-3 top of the third, the Duhawks got back on the scoreboard in the bottom of the frame.
 
Loras strung together three runs on just two hits in the bottom of the third, capping off the three-run frame with a two-run double off the bat of Murphy.
 
That'd be all Hemm needed, as the junior pitched a no-hitter, allowing just three baserunners, walking two and striking out seven over the complete-game effort.
 
Rochester threatened in the top of the fourth, putting a runner on second with nobody out after Riley Laygo reached on an error, but Hemm got the next two batters before walking Julianna Lyons and getting Loren Castilloux to pop out to get out of the inning unscathed.
 
Hemm (2-1) retired the Yellowjackets in order the rest of the way to finish off the no-hitter and 4-0 victory for the Duhawks.
 
White (1-2) took the loss for UR, allowing four runs, three earned, on three hits, walking two and striking out two over 2.1 innings pitched. Lauren Keys pitched 3.2 innings of scoreless relief, allowing just four hits while striking out two.
 
At the plate, Lyons reached base twice, going 0-for-1 with two walks.
 
GAME TWO: Rochester 2, Lakeland 1
Both starters, Molly Broccolo for UR and Sylar Hall for the Muskies, worked around baserunners in the first and second innings before the Yellowjackets broke through in the bottom of the third.
 
Laygo led off the inning with a single and stole second. Hall retired the next two batters via a flyout and pop-out, but Lyons poked a single through the right side, scoring Laygo to give Rochester a 1-0 lead. UR would then load the bases on Castilloux's single and a hit-by-pitch draw by Hunter Gilbreath, but Hall got Molly Mason to pop out to end the threat and keep UR's lead at just one.
 
Broccolo kept things rolling in the top of the fourth though, setting down the Muskies in order before Ilana Weiss and Hannah Keiper turned a double play in the fifth to erase a leadoff baserunner for Lakeland.
 
But after Rochester left one of their 10 runners on base in the bottom of the fifth, Lakeland squeezed out a run to tie the game in the top of the sixth.            Sydney Meyer reached on an infield single and was pinch-ran for by Haylee Dodd. Dodd took second on Jordan August's sacrifice bunt and third or Carlie Morrow's groundout before Hannah Nelson looped a single just out of Lyons' reach down the third-base line to level the score at 1-1.
 
However, the 'Jackets would get right back to it and retake the lead in the bottom of the frame. Weiss drew a six-pitch leadoff walk to put the go-ahead run on for Katelyn Wade, who dropped a picture-perfect sacrifice bunt, moving Weiss to second.
 
Hall retired the next batter via a popout, but with a chance to get out of the inning unscathed, Laygo reached on an error, allowing Weiss to come around to score go give Rochester a 2-1 lead. Hannah Keiper then nearly made it 3-1 with a line drive down the left-field line, but Nelson made a tremendous, diving effort to rob Keiper of a hit and UR of an extra insurance run.
 
It wouldn't matter though, as Broccolo quickly retired the Muskies in order in the top of the seventh, getting all three batters to make outs at second base to finish off the 2-1 victory.
 
Broccolo (3-2) earned the win, allowing one run on five hits, striking out one over her complete-game effort, while Hall (2-1) took the loss, allowing two runs, one earned, on eight hits over 6.0 innings pitched.
 
Castilloux and Kinchington each led UR with a pair of hits, while Laygo and Weiss scored the 'Jackets' two runs.
 
The Yellowjackets are next in action on Wednesday, March 20 when they travel to St. John Fisher for a doubleheader in Pittsford, NY beginning at 3:00 p.m.