Pitching was strong and the defense turned in a pair of stellar outings as well as the University of Rochester softball team swept a Liberty League doubleheader over St. Lawrence University on Monday afternoon at Southside Field.
 
Rochester (18-6, 5-1 Liberty League) took game one by a 2-0 score with Molly Broccolo firing the shutout, and then backed up that performance with a 3-0 victory in the nightcap, with Lauren Keys and Maddie White combining to throw a 2-hitter.
 
St. Lawrence falls to 14-9 overall and 2-4 in the Liberty League.
 
Up next for the Yellowjackets, is a league doubleheader on the road this Friday at Skidmore College. UR is stated for a back-to-back doubleheader weekend, also playing two keys games at RPI on Saturday.
 
Game 1: Rochester 2, St. Lawrence 0
Broccolo let her defense do the work in what proved to be her seventh complete game and third shutout of the 2024 campaign, scattering just five hits in the game. The sophomore did not allow a walk and did not record a strikeout in the game, while not allowing a runner past second base in the contest.
 
The victory moves Broccolo to 7-3 on the year and lowers the sophomore's ERA to 1.58 through 11 appearances.
 
One of the Saints best scoring threats came in the top of the first when with one out Vivian Johnson singled to right. After advancing to second on a wild pitch, Broccolo escaped with a groundout and flyout.
 
In the bottom half of the inning, leadoff hitter Riley Laygo singled to left and stole second to quickly get into scoring position. After a ground out, Jenna Gorecki laced a double off the fence in the left field corner, scoring Laygo for the early 1-0 lead.
 
After another ground out, Hannah Keiper walked to put two runners on, but SLU's pitcher Izzy Melanson got out of the inning by getting a flyout to center.
 
SLU went down 1-2-3 in the second and Rochester doubled the lead in their half of the inning. With one out, Hunter Gilbreath was hit by a pitch and moved to third after Savannah Nowak laid down a perfect bunt, reaching on a single.
 
With runners at the corners, Laygo ripped a base hit, one of three in the game for the first-year, to center field for the RBI single.
 
UR's defense shined handling 14 ground balls cleanly, to go with six fly outs. Julianna Lyons made several terrific plays at third base for the Yellowjackets and Rochester continued to excel at double plays, turning a nice 1-6-3 DP in the sixth inning.
 
Game 2: Rochester 3, St. Lawrence 0
In the circle, Keys breezed through the first three innings for Rochester, eventually setting down the first 11 batters she faced before Allison Kloft broke up the no-hitter in the top of the fourth inning.
 
The junior righty quickly got the next batter out and continued her strong pitching performance into the fifth, getting a 1-2-3 inning with a pair of strikeouts.
 
After allowing the leadoff hitter to reach in the sixth, Keys again held off the Saints offense, getting the next three batters out on eight pitches to maintain UR's lead.
 
Keys finished the game allowing two hits over a season-high six innings pitched, striking out six and not walking any batters. She improved to 9-1 on the year and lowered her ERA to 1.33.
 
In the seventh, White relieved and sat down the Saints in order on eight pitches to pick up her second save of the season.
 
Rochester's offense got on the board again in the first inning when Loren Castilloux scored on a wild pitch after smacking a 1-out double to right center. She moved to third on a ground out and scored while Keiper reached via walk.
 
The Yellowjackets increased the lead in the fifth. Molly Mason led off with a line drive single to left. After a foul out, Mason stole second. Another ground out put two outs on the board, but Castilloux came up with a clutch hit, singling to left, allowing Mason to cross home and put UR ahead 2-0.
 
The next inning, Keys was able to help herself, lining a base hit to right center to score pinch-runner Katelyn Wade. Wade ran for Keiper who reached via single before Wade relieved and promptly stole second.
 
Another single put two runners on for Rochester, but the Saints defense turned a double play and pitcher Sofia Berryhill induced a ground out to limit the damage.