For the second time in as many days, the University of Rochester softball team run-ruled St. Lawrence University, this time winning 10-2 in an elimination game at the Liberty League Championship at Southside Field on Friday afternoon.
After the visiting Saints (17-17) jumped ahead early on a two-run home run by Isabel Moreno, the Yellowjackets (33-8) responded right away, sending 14 batters to the plate, scoring nine runs in the bottom of the first inning to grab a stranglehold on the game.
It was all zeroes for the 5th-seeded Saints the rest of the way, with URochester tacking on one more run in the third to reach the mercy-rule, 8-run margin.
Molly Broccolo started and went two innings in the circle for Rochester, giving up three hits, including Moreno's 2-run home run. She struck out one.
Maddie White secured the victory in relief, tossing the final three innings, scattering four hits while striking out four hitters.
URochester's victory moves the Yellowjackets into the championship round of the conference tournament, where the top-seeded team will square off against 2-0 Ithaca on Saturday. The Yellowjackets must win both games to secure the conference title against the 2nd-seeded Bombers, after Ithaca posted at 11-2 win during the winners bracket matchup earlier on Friday.
After Broccolo got two quick outs to open the first inning, Allison Kloft singled to center field to reach base. The next pitch was Moreno's home run that snuck just inside the foul pole and over the fence down the right field line, putting the Saints up 2-0.
The lead did not last long though, as the Saints decided to throw first-year Madison Smith in their second game of the afternoon.
Ally Kim started the Rochester rally with a single up the middle. A long at-bat to
Riley Laygo ended in a walk and then a dropped pop up to second base was dropped, loading the bases.
Jensen Sminchak then pulled UR even on the scoreboard with a 2-run single up the middle before the first out was recorded on a fielders choice.
A walk re-loaded the bases and then the Yellowjackets rattled off five straight run-scoring singles to build upon the lead.
Marie Kinchington,
Madi Paige, Kim and Laygo had RBI singles, while
Ilana Weiss knocked in two with her base hit.
Another Saints error on Sminchak's second at-bat of the inning made the score 9-2 in favor of the Yellowjackets before the final out of the first was recorded.
In the second, Marina Juan reached on an infield single, but was quickly erased on an unconventional 5-6-3 double play in URochester's 5-person infield alignment.
URochester threatened in the bottom of the second, getting two runners on thanks to a hit batter and walk, but relief pitcher Marleigh Monroe escaped the jam.
White relieved Broccolo in the circle in the third and pitched around a pair of two-out singles to keep the seven-run lead for the Yellowjackets.
During the Rochester half of the inning, Laygo reached on an infield single to lead things off and moved up to second on a wild pitch. The junior the came around to score on a hard line drive single to right by senior
Rowan Mulholland, moving the score to 10-2.
St. Lawrence never threatened the rest of the way offensively, leading to the 5-inning run rule victory.
At the plate, Laygo and Kim both recorded multiple hits, with Laygo adding three runs scored. Sminchak and Weiss each drove in a pair, with all ten of the Yellowjacket hits being singles.
The first game of the championship round is set for noon on Saturday, with 2-0 Ithaca serving as the home team. Should URochester win that matchup, the Yellowjackets will be the home team for the winner-take-all final game of the tournament.
