From University of Rochester Athletics
The Yellowjacket bats broke out in a big way in game one and nearly pulled off an exciting rally in game two as Rochester split a twinbill with RPI in softball on Sunday.
Rochester rapped 15 hits in game one, enroute to an 8-0 win over RPI. In game two, the Yellowjackets rallied with three runs in the top of the seventh, but fell one run short in a 6-5 loss to RPI.
The weekend split for Rochester (UR split with Union on Saturday) puts the Yellowjackets at 2-2 in the league, 9-15 overall. RPI is 17-5 overall, 3-1 in the league. The Engineers swept RIT on Saturday. RIT split with Union on Sunday.
In the opener, Eleni Wechsler picked up her sixth win of the season with a two-hit shutout. She walked three and fanned four. Only one runner got as far as third base and that happened in the fifth, when Rochester was defending a one-run lead.
Rochester's first run came on a sacrifice fly by Haberly Kahn. It brought home Rachael Pletz who opened the inning with a double.
In the RPI fifth, Morgan Ten Eyck doubled with one down. She moved to third after a walk, a strikeout, and a walk. Wechsler induced pinch-hitter Christine White to ground out to second base. Only two RPI runners reached base after that. One was erased on a fielder's choice, the other on a lineout double play.
Rochester stretched its lead in the sixth. Mackenzie Cronin singled and scored on a home run to left by Pletz. In the seventh, the Yellowjackets wrapped it up with five runs, three unearned. Harleigh Kaczegowicz doubled in one, then scored on a Wechsler single. An RPI error, right after a double play, brought home a third run. Jocelyn Blackshear hit her second double of the game to put runners at second and third. Logan Mohr's RBI single scored Pletz and Kahn drove in her second run of the game with a single to center.
In the nitecap, Rochester scored a run in the first – Gianni Melillo's bases-loaded single scored Kaczegowicz. RPI got to Wechsler for three runs in the bottom of the inning, two of them unearned. Sam Malecki relieved to start the second inning. She held RPI in check for three innings and Rochester got a run back in the third – unearned. Pletz singled with one down. After Wechsler flied out, Melillo walked and Blackshear's grounder was booted as Pletz scored (3-2).
RPI put together four hits and produced two runs in the fifth. Stephanie Caudle doubled in one and Courtney McArthur singled in another. In the Engineer sixth, a single, a sacrifice, and an RBI single by Devan Puhl made it 6-2 heading into the seventh.
The Yellowjackets didn't go quietly in the seventh. Kayla Kibling singled (she was 3-3) but was forced at second on a comebacker hit by Kaczegowicz. She moved to second on a wild pitch. After Cronin struck out, Pletz doubled to center, scoring Kaczegowicz. Wechsler singled down the left field line. Pinch-runner Rachel Herne scored (6-4).
On the throw home, Wechsler took second. When the throw was off-line, she advanced to third. She scored on a base hit by Melillo. RPI changed pitchers with Victoria Hepworth leaving and Caudle (the game one starter) relieving. With Blackshear at the plate, Melillo was thrown out trying to steal second.