University of Rochester softball belted six home runs on their way to a doubleheader sweep of the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Engineers on Friday afternoon at Southside Field. The Yellowjackets rallied late to take both contests, with go-ahead home runs coming in the bottom of the fifth in game one and the bottom of the sixth in game two.
 
UR took the first contest, 5-4, and the second, 6-4, to move to 15-9 (7-1 LL) on the year, while RPI drops to 20-8 (4-4 LL) with the two losses. The Yellowjackets are back in action on Saturday, April 19, hosting Skidmore College for their Senior Day doubleheader at Southside Field beginning at 1:00 p.m.
 
GAME ONE: Rochester 5, RPI 4
After Molly Broccolo set the Engineers down in order with a trio of groundouts in the top of the first, Bailey Nicholoff took Ava Markert's 1-2 pitch over the left-field fence to give Rochester an early 1-0 lead.
 
In the circle, Broccolo cruised through the second and third frames, getting Olivia Termi to ground into a double play to erase RPI's first hit in the top of the second, while the junior again worked a 1-2-3 inning in the third.
 
UR then doubled their lead in the bottom of the inning, as Riley Laygo brought Nicholoff home with an RBI single up the middle after Nicholoff reached on a two-out double to center.
 
The second time through the order, though, the Engineers would get to Broccolo, scoring three runs on four hits and an error to take the lead. Sydney Speanburg led off the fourth with a double and quickly came around to score on Evann McDowell's sacrifice bunt, taking an extra base on an errant throw by the Yellowjackets.
 
With Rochester's lead cut in half, Broccolo got Callista Adorno to fly out and Nicholoff caught McDowell stealing, but three-straight two-out hits gave RPI a 3-2 lead. Back-to-back singles by Addison Shaffer and Sarah Decker put two on with two outs for Termi, who roped a two-run double over Jensen Sminchak's head in center to give the Engineers a 3-2 advantage.
 
And after Markert worked a 1-2-3 frame in the bottom of the fourth, RPI added to their lead in the top of the fifth, again with two outs on the board. After McDowell singled to right to put two on, Adorno's RBI single scored Speanburg to extend the Engineers' lead to 4-2.
 
However, the 'Jackets would take advantage of a defensive miscue and rally in the bottom of the frame. Molly Mason reached on an error and took second on Sminchak's bunt. A batter later and with first base open, RPI decided to unintentionally intentionally walk Nicholoff with Laygo on deck, but the sophomore and reigning Liberty League Player of the Year made the Engineers regret the decision.
 
Laygo knocked Markert's 2-1 pitch over the right-center field for a go-ahead, three-run homer, giving Rochester a 5-4 lead. Back-to-back infield singles had UR looking for more, but Markert got Julianna Lyons to groundout to prevent any further damage, keeping Rochester's lead at just one run.
 
Lauren Keys took over in the circle for Broccolo to start the top of the sixth, and although the senior walked the first two batters she faced, Keys worked out of the jam unscathed. Up next, Keys got Gabby Heim to hit into an infield fly and then struck out a pair, first Lauren Cosselman looking and then Ryleigh Falvey swinging to strand both baserunners and send UR back to the plate in the bottom of the sixth.
 
And though UR wasn't able to tack on an insurance run in the bottom of the frame, Keys made quick work of RPI in the seventh, getting three outs on just six pitches to earn the save and close out the 5-4 victory.
 
Broccolo (10-3) picked up the win, allowing four runs on eight hits while striking out two over 5.0 innings pitched. Keys (1) earned the save, walking two and striking out over 2.0 innings pitched.
 
For RPI, Markert (9-4) took the loss, allowing five runs, two earned, on six hits, walking one and striking out two over 5.0 innings pitched.
 
Laygo and Nicholoff led UR at the plate, with Laygo going 2-for-3 with a home run, run scored and four RBI, while Nicholoff went 2-for-2 with a walk, double, home run, three runs scored and an RBI.
 
GAME TWO: Rochester 6, RPI 4
In a near-mirror image of game one, the Yellowjackets would take the lead with one swing of the bat in game two. Broccolo again got the start and worked around a two-out hit-by-pitch in the first, and Nicholoff got Rochester's offense going in the bottom of the frame.
 
Nicholoff led off with a triple to right center, and Laygo followed with a two-run shot to center, her second home run of the game, to give the Yellowjackets a 2-0 lead.
 
RPI cut into Rochester's advantage with an unearned run in the top of the third, as Speanburg came around to score on a muffed throw following her two-out double, but Laygo would bat again and answer back in the bottom of the third.
 
Despite RPI retiring Nicholoff for the first time across both contests, Laygo got a hold of another pitch, blasting a solo home run over the scoreboard in right to extend UR's lead back to two, 3-1.
 
However, once again, the Engineers would push a run across in the ensuing frame, pulling within a score on Decker's RBI single, following a leadoff double by Shaffer. Broccolo retired the next three Engineers to keep Decker at first and UR's lead at one, but Rensselaer would again score in the top of the fifth and chase Broccolo from the contest.
 
Back-to-back singles from Falvey and Speanburg put runners at first and second, but Broccolo got McDowell to ground into a 5-3 double play to put two outs on the board.
 
However, after Adorno held up at the Broccolo's 1-2 pitch, the Engineers' first basewomen stroked a two-run homer to give RPI a 4-3 lead.
 
Maddie White relieved Broccolo and struck out Shaffer to end the inning, and while UR put a runner in scoring position in the bottom of the frame, Heim retired Laygo for the first time in game two to keep RPI in front by a run.
 
After White set the Engineers down in order in the top of the sixth, though, the 'Jackets would have another chance to respond in the bottom of the frame.
 
Rowan Mulholland led off the inning and reached on an error, and was pinch-ran for by Katelyn Wade. Wade stole second to move into scoring position, but it wouldn't matter which base the sophomore stood on, as Jenna Gorecki put Rochester back in front with a two-run blast to right, giving UR a 5-4 lead.
 
A batter later, Lyons made it six home runs across the two contests for Rochester, getting just enough of Heim's 3-1 pitch to lift it over the left-field fence and extend Rochester's lead to 6-4.
 
White would need just one run though, as the junior pitched another 1-2-3 frame to close out the win and doubleheader sweep, striking out two more batters before getting Speanburg to pop out to end the top of the seventh.
 
White (4-4) earned the win, striking out four over a scoreless 2.1 innings pitched, while Broccolo took a no-decision, allowing four runs, three earned, on seven hits over 4.2 innings of work.
 
Heim (6-3) took the loss for RPI, allowing six runs, four earned, on seven hits, striking out two over 6.0 innings pitched.
 
Laygo had another day at the plate, going 2-for-3 with two home runs, two runs scored and three RBI, while Gorecki went 2-for-3 with a home run, run scored and two RBI, and Lyons went 1-for-3 with a home run, run scored and RBI.
 
The Yellowjackets will honor their five seniors prior to their Senior Day doubleheader against Skidmore on Saturday, April 19 at Southside Field. First pitch is scheduled for 1:00 p.m.