ITHACA, NY – Maddie White pitched a complete-game shutout, and Rowan Mulholland's solo homer proved to be the difference, as the University of Rochester softball edged the 24th-ranked Ithaca College Bombers, 1-0, in game two, to earn a doubleheader split on Sunday afternoon at Kostrinsky Field. The Bombers took game one, 2-0, before UR edged the hosts in game two to split the Sunday doubleheader.
 
With the doubleheader split, Rochester moves to 20-10 (10-2 LL) and remains alone atop the Liberty League standings with just two conference games left to play, while the 24th-ranked Bombers now stand at 21-6 (9-3 LL) on the year.
 
Game 1: #24 Ithaca 2, Rochester 0
After the Yellowjackets went in order in the top of the first, Ithaca would push a run across in the bottom of the frame. Despite erasing a leadoff walk by Sela Scheinman, catching the Ithaca leadoff hitter trying to steal second, the Bombers strung together three-straight singles to take the lead.
 
Back-to-back singles by Jessie Lopez and Elise Waddington put two on with just one out for Haley Petrucci, whose RBI single to right gave Ithaca a 1-0 lead. Broccolo worked out of the inning without allowing any more damage, getting Anna Bello to fly out and Kailen Winkelblech to ground out, but that'd be all the Bombers would need in game one.
 
Anna Cornell retired the first four Yellowjackets she faced in the circle before a one-out walk drawn by Lauren Keys in the top of the second, and then struck out a pair to strand one of just three baserunners in game one for UR.
 
Katelyn Wade led off the top of the third against Cornell with an infield single and took second on Savannah Nowak's groundout right back to the pitcher, but a flyout and groundout kept Wade from advancing any further.
 
Broccolo matched Cornell in the circle after the first, working a 1-2-3 second before stranding the bases loaded in the third. But UR just couldn't get anything going against Cornell at the plate. The senior starter allowed just two hits, walked one and struck out four, getting six groundouts and 11 flyouts in a complete-game effort.
 
Nowak led off the top of the sixth inning with a single, fouling off eight-straight pitches in a 10-pitch at-bat. But Cornell again worked around the leadoff baserunner, getting a flyout, a fielder's choice and a popout to keep the Bombers in front by a run.
 
Ithaca would tack on an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth on Scheinman's RBI double, scoring Gabriella Facciponti and prompting the Yellowjackets to make a pitching change, bringing in Maddie White for the final out of the sixth. While Cornell worked a 1-2-3 ninth to finish off the 2-0 victory.
 
Cornell (10-3) earned the win, while Broccolo (12-4) took the loss, allowing two runs on nine hits, walking two and striking out three over 5.2 innings pitched.
 
Nowak and Wade each went 1-for-2 to lead UR at the plate, while Scheinman went 2-for-3 with a double, walk and an RBI to lead the Bombers.
 
Game 2: Rochester 1, #24 Ithaca 0
UR looked to break its scoreless stretch and get on the scoreboard first in game two, but the 'Jackets would leave runners on in each of the first two frames. Julianna Lyons and Mulholland struck back-to-back two-out singles in the top of the first inning, but Mady Rowell got Keys to ground out to keep the 'Jackets off the board.
 
And then in the top of the second, Molly Mason followed Jensen Sminchak's one-out, infield single with a double to left center, but again Rowell stranded a pair, getting a lineout and popout to end the threat.
 
Rochester would leave another runner on in the top of the third, while Maddie White rolled through the first three frames, working around a one-out single in the first, an error in the second and setting down the Bombers in order in the third.
 
White allowed just two hits through the first five frames, with just two more batters reaching via an error and a fielder's choice. The junior pitched another 1-2-3 frame in the fifth, before the 'Jackets finally broke through in the top of the sixth.
 
Rowell retired the first batter she faced in the sixth, but Mulholland took the sophomore's 2-0 pitch over the left-field fence for a solo homer, giving the 'Jackets their first lead of the contest, 1-0.
 
That'd be all White needed, as the junior kept cruising in the circle. White worked around a two-out walk in the bottom of the sixth and then shut the door in the seventh to finish off the complete-game shutout, getting Kailen Winkelblech to ground out after Bello's two-out single brought the game-winning run to the plate.
 
White (6-4) earned the win, pitching a complete-game shutout, allowing three hits while walking one and striking out two. Rowell (9-2) took the loss for Ithaca, allowing one run on eight hits, striking out four over 7.0 innings pitched.
 
Mulholland led UR at the plate, going 2-for-3 with a home run, run scored and an RBI, while Mason went 1-for-3 with a double.
 
Rochester next heads to Clinton, NY for a non-conference doubleheader against Hamilton College on Wednesday, April 30 beginning at 3:30 p.m.