ALFRED, NY – The University of Rochester softball team won a pair of 5-4 decisions on Thursday afternoon, defeating host Alfred University in non-conference softball action at Harrington Field.
 
Junior Lauren Keys slammed the door for the save in both contests, with sophomores Molly Broccolo and Maddie White each earning wins in the circle for the Yellowjackets (23-7).
 
The two wins help Rochester carry some momentum in what will be a pivotal Liberty League battle on Friday at Southside Field, with UR hosting Ithaca College in a doubleheader starting at 3 pm.
 
Game 1: Rochester 5, Alfred 4
The Yellowjackets never trailed in the opener, with Jensen Sminchak opening the scoring with an RBI single in the top of the first inning. Sminchak's hit drove in Loren Castilloux who reached on a bloop single through the right side.
 
In the bottom of the inning, Broccolo allowed two runners on via single and a walk, but Rochester escaped thanks to a terrific play from Molly Mason at shortstop, with the junior gunning out the runner from her knees.
 
Broccolo escaped some more trouble in the second, keeping UR in front. After a leadoff walk, Broccolo got two outs. Another walk and a fielders choice allowed the bases to be loaded, but Rochester's pitcher posted one of her two strikeouts on the next batter to wiggle out of the jam.
 
Riley Laygo led off the UR half of the third with a triple to right. Two pitches later, Castilloux lifted a fly ball to right, driving in the run.
 
The score remained 2-0 Rochester until the fifth when UR doubled its lead to four. Two infield singles by Laygo and Jenna Gorecki put runners at first and second with one out. Hannah Keiper followed by ripping a double to left center to score Laygo. After an out, Julianna Lyons lined a hard base hit to right to score Gorecki.
 
Alfred (20-12) broke through for three runs in the bottom of the fifth to make it a one run game. Back-to-back singles opened the frame before Broccolo got two straight outs. Meghan Neto singled up the middle to drive in the Saxons first run before Paris Guzman provided another big hit, driving in a pair with a hit to right center.
 
Keys relieved and allowed the next batter to reach, but stranded the tying and go-ahead runners on base by getting a fly out.
 
UR answered in the top of the sixth with a key insurance run off a sacrifice fly from Gorecki, plating Savannah Nowak who reached on an Alfred error.
 
The Saxons got that run right back in the bottom half of the inning though, getting their own sacrifice fly off the bat of Mya Wells to make it a one-run game once again.
 
Both teams went down 1-2-3 in the seventh, allowing the Yellowjackets to hold on for the game one victory.
 
Laygo and Gorecki finished with three hits in the opener for Rochester. Laygo also scored twice and recorded a triple. Lyons finished 2-for-4 with an RBI.
 
Broccolo's pitching line featured 4.2 innings, 6 hits allowed, 3 runs, 3 walks and 2 strikeouts. She moved to 9-4 on the season. Keys' stats in the opener saw the junior go 2.1 innings while surrendering two hits and one run.
 
Game 2: Rochester 5, Alfred 4
During game two, the Yellowjackets again struck for a run in the top of the first, with Gorecki singling in Laygo, who was hit by a pitch, with a base hit to center. UR could have done more damage in the inning, but Alfred starter Kendall Steward stranded two runners on base.
 
In the second, Alfred evened the score after Neto reached on a throwing error and came around to score on a Kody Watson sacrifice fly.
 
The Yellowjackets got that run back quickly though, regaining the lead in the top of the third. Laygo doubled to lead off the inning and Katelyn Wade reached on an infield single. Gorecki singled to left but Laygo was thrown out at home on a strong relay play for the first out.
 
Keiper followed with a sacrifice fly to score Wade and a fielding error on Alfred during Lyons' at-bat boosted the score to 3-1.
 
The Saxons scored on another sacrifice fly in the third inning, with Neto hitting a deep ball to left that scored Samantha Vidal. White left the bases loaded though, getting a fly out two batters later to end the threat.
 
UR followed by bouncing back with two runs in the top of the fourth thanks to a couple of Alfred miscues. Two quick outs started the frame, but Nowak walked and Laygo was hit by a pitch. A passed ball moved both runners up a base and both came in to score when Wade's hit was bobbled at second base for an error.
 
Alfred's Guzman struck for the biggest hit of the day in the fifth, cutting into UR's lead with a 2-run home run to right center.
 
In the sixth, Keys was able to get three outs on just five pitchers for a quick 1-2-3 inning. An inning later, she earned her second save of the day pitching around a leadoff baserunner that reached via error. She ended the game in style with a strikeout of Guzman who represented the winning run at the plate.
 
Gorecki was the lone 'Jacket with multiple hits in game two, finishing 2-for-4. Laygo extended her hitting streak to a season-long 13 games, recording a double and two runs scored while also getting hit by a pitch twice.
 
White's pitching line finished at 5 innings with 8 hits and 4 runs allowed (2 earned). She walked one and did not strike out a batter. Keys did not allow a hit in her two innings of work to finish up the win.