University of Rochester Athletics

University of Rochester softball split its Senior Day doubleheader against the Union College Garnet Chargers on Sunday at Southside Field, topping the Garnet Chargers, 24-2, in a run-rule-shortened five innings in game one, before falling just short by the final score of 2-1 in game two. With the split, the Yellowjackets move to 25-7 (11-1 LL) on the year, while Union now stands at 14-18 (3-9 LL).
 
Game 1: Rochester 24, Union 2 (5 inn.)
Despite an early run from the Garnet Chargers in the top of the first, the Yellowjackets would take the lead in the bottom of the frame before putting up crooked numbers in each of the second, third and fourth innings.
 
The first two batters of the game reached against Molly Broccolo in the top of the first on a walk and an infield single, while a fielding error allowed the game's first run to come around to score. However, Broccolo struck out side to strand a pair and keep Union's lead at just 1-0, and Rochester would respond in the bottom of the first.
 
Jensen Sminchak worked a two-out walk, and Rowan Mulholland followed with a bloop single down the left-field line to score Sminchak and quickly tie the score at one-all. Then after Julianna Lyons drew another walk, one of nine the 'Jackets drew in game one, Katelyn Wade smoked a single to center to score Mulholland and give URochester a 2-1 lead.
 
Broccolo settled down in the second, working around a one-out single by Sophia Burynski, while the 'Jackets bats broke out in the second.
 
URochester would score seven runs in the second, eight in the third and another seven runs in the bottom of the fourth, with their 24-run output tied for the second-most in a single game in program history.
 
Riley Laygo's two-run single got Rochester going in the second, while Mulholland tacked on two more with another two-run single, before Wade's three-run blast capped off the seven-run frame.
 
In the bottom of the third, two more homers, a two-run blast from Laygo and a three-run shot by Marie Kinchington, helped extend Rochester's lead to 17-1, as Laygo knocked in four in the inning, with the Yellowjackets batting around for the second of three times against Union.
 
Union would get a run back in the top of the fourth on Burynski's RBI single, but Rochester would get back on the scoreboard quickly in the bottom of the frame on a solo shot from Lyons, while Mulholland's three-run blast capped off the seven-run frame.
 
In between, Ilana Weiss, Ally Kim and Maddie White all knocked in runs with RBI singles, before Mulholland's round tripper gave the Yellowjackets a 24-2 advantage.
 
Saira Ramakrishnan relieved Broccolo and pitched a scoreless fifth to close things out, striking out one and getting Kyla Springer to ground out to strand a pair and finish off the run-rule victory.
 
Broccolo (14-4) earned the win, allowing a pair of unearned runs on four hits, walking one and striking out five over 4.0 innings pitched. Amelia Brancazio (6-7) took the loss for Union, allowing nine runs on seven hits over 1.1 innings pitched.
 
Every Yellowjacket who started the contest reached base for Rochester, with Laygo and Mulholland leading the way with six RBI apiece. Laygo went 3-for-4 with a double, home run, three runs scored and six RBI, while Mulholland went 3-for-4 with a home run, walk, four runs scored and six RBI.
 
Sminchak also scored four runs and drew three walks, while Kinchington doubled and homered, scoring twice and driving in three.
 
Game 2: Union 2, Rochester 1
Carra Cleaves would turn the tables on Rochester's bats in game two, though, holding the Yellowjackets to just one run, which was unearned, on three hits, while striking out eight.
 
Maddie White struck out the strike after the leadoff batter reached on an error in the top of the first, but Cleaves set down the 'Jackets in order in the bottom of the frame, the first of three 1-2-3 innings for Union's game-two starter.
 
White and Cleaves would go toe-to-toe in the circle for much of the contest, combining to allow just three runs on seven hits and four errors.
 
The Garnet Chargers would break through against White in the top of the third, with Sam Rose and Ellie Wintringer combining for a two-out rally to score a run. Rose doubled down the left-field line, and Wintringer followed with an RBI single to center to give Union a 1-0 lead.
 
Madi Paige picked up Rochester's first hit of the game in the bottom of the third, a two-out single to center, but was left stranded at second base, as was Mulholland after her two-out single in the fourth.
 
Cleaves stranded another runner in the bottom of the fifth before she helped herself in the single, doubling Union's lead with a two-out, RBI double to left center, scoring Rose to make it a 2-0 Garnet Chargers lead.
 
Rochester finally got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the frame, as Kim singled to lead off the frame, stole second, and took third on a throwing error before coming around to score on Laygo's sacrifice fly.
 
However, Cleaves kept the 'Jackets to just one run in the inning, and then closed things out for the Garnet Chargers with a 1-2-3 bottom of the seventh to give Union a 2-1, game-two victory.
 
Cleaves (8-8) earned the win, while White (8-3) took the loss, allowing two runs on four hits while striking out five over 6.0 innings pitched.
 
Kim led URochester at the plate, going 1-for-3 with a run scored, while Mulholland and Paige added the 'Jackets two other hits.
 
Rochester next hits the road for the final time during the regular season, heading to Cortland, NY, for a doubleheader against SUNY Cortland on Tuesday, April 28. First pitch is scheduled for 3:00 p.m.