ANGOLA, IN – Despite battling back from an early deficit, No. 24 University of Rochester softball dropped its opening game of the 2026 NCAA Division III Tournament to Loras College Duhawks, 14-6, in a run-rule-shortened six innings on Thursday afternoon in game two of the Angola Regional at SportONE/Parkview Softball Field.
With the loss, the Yellowjackets will now play Earlham College in an elimination game on Friday, May 15, at 1:30 p.m., with the winner playing again shortly thereafter in another elimination game against the loser of the first game of the day on Friday: No. 4 Trine vs. Loras.
After
Molly Broccolo stranded a Duhawk baserunner at third in each of the first two frames,
Katelyn Wade would give Rochester the lead with one swing of the bat in the bottom of the second, with her solo home run putting the 'Jackets on the scoreboard.
The 'Jackets' lead would be short-lived, however, as the Duhawks strung together three-straight hits to start the top of the third against Broccolo, and eventually chased the Yellowjackets' starter after just 2.2 innings pitched.
Ava Franklin followed back-to-back singles by Ellie Baker and Katherine Svigelj with a two-run triple down the right-field line to give Loras the lead. Broccolo retired the next batter on a groundout, but a walk and Dana Skorich's fielder's choice added to the Duhawks' lead, before a batter later, Gillian Jones made it 4-1 with another RBI single, forcing
Abby Hurley-Martin to make a pitching change.
Maddie White relieved Broccolo and quickly worked out of the inning without allowing any more damage, getting Ashli Bossom to foul out to strand a pair.
URochester responded in the bottom of the frame, mounting a two-out rally to put within one. Laygo blasted another solo shot to center to cut Loras' lead to 4-2, while Mulholland followed with a single to right center, and took third when
Jensen Sminchak reached on an error. With Wade at the plate, Sminchak stole second, and on the throw, Mulholland came home to score, pulling the 'Jackets within a run.
Kaili Henning, though, struck out Wade to keep the Duhawks in front, and then Loras would tack on two more on three-straight singles to start the fifth. Franklin came through again for the Duhawks, this time with a two-run single. But White would retire three of the next four to prevent any further damage, stranding two more to keep Loras' lead at 6-3.
And in the bottom of the fourth, Rochester would get all three runs back, first with a one-out, solo blast from
Julianna Lyons, before Laygo knocked in a pair with a two-run double to tie the score at six.
White then kept the Duhawks off the scoreboard for the first time since the second, and Rochester looked to take retake the lead in the bottom of the fifth. A pair of walks put runners on first and second with just one out, but Henning got out of the inning with a foul out and fly out, keeping the score even at six.
In the top of the sixth, the Duhawks would blow things open with an eight-run frame, taking advantage of a pair of Rochester miscues in the field to take a 14-6 lead. Four-straight hits after White retired Franklin for the first out of the inning gave Loras an 8-6 lead, while after White got Jones to ground out, Bossom drew a walk to load the bases for Baker.
A fielding error extended the inning and allowed Skorich to score to make it 9-6, and Svigelj reached on a fielder's choice to score another and put the Duhawks up 10-6.
Back up to bat, Franklin singled through the right side to score to more to make it 12-6, while after another fielding error, Kiya Steger put the capper on the eight-run inning with a two-run single up the middle.
Now trailing 14-6, the 'Jackets would need a run in the bottom of the sixth to extend the game, but Steger, who relieved Henning to start the frame, stranded a pair to give the Duhawks the 14-6, run-rule victory, and send Loras into the winner's bracket.
With the loss, Rochester drops to 35-8 on the year, while the Duhawks move to 30-14 with the win.
White (13-4) took the loss for Rochester, allowing 10 runs, just four of which were earned, on nine hits, walking and striking out two. Broccolo allowed four runs on six hits over 2.2 innings in her start.
For the Duhawks, Henning (14-6) earned the win, allowing six runs, five earned, on seven hits, walking three and striking out seven.
Laygo had an impressive day at the plate, going 3-for-4 with a double, home run, run scored and three RBI. Laygo was one of three 'Jackets, along with Lyons and Wade, to hit a solo home run, and one of two, along with Lyons, to record a double.
The Yellowjackets will look to stay alive in the Angola Regional when they square off with Earlham College in an elimination game on Friday, May 15, at 1:30 p.m. at SportONE/Parkview Softball Field.
