From University of Rochester Athletics
Brittany Grage threw a six-hitter to win a pitching duel in game one, then drove in three runs in game two as Rochester swept St. John Fisher, 3-1 and 11-1, at Southside Field on Wednesday afternoon.
The Yellowjackets, ranked #22 in the current Division III coaches' poll, improved to 10-5. It was Rochester's first game action in 17 days. St. John Fisher is 9-3. The Cardinals have been idle even longer. Fisher played Drew University and Wartburg College in Florida on March 7. Tuesday's Empire 8 doubleheader vs. Houghton was postponed.
Eleni Wechsler earned the game two win for Rochester. She allowed three hits, one walk, one earned run, and struck out three. The nitecap was shortened to five innings on the mercy rule.
Grage allowed one unearned run, walked one, and struck out five. It was her third win this season (3-1) and her 45th career victory.
Lindsay Thayer (5-1) took the game one loss for Fisher. She allowed six hits, walked six, and struck out 11 in six innings. Hallie Schoff, the first of three Fisher pitchers in game two, was the losing pitcher. She was chased in the third when Rochester scored five runs.
Lauren Muni was 2-3 with four RBIs for Rochester in game two. She hit a three-run home run in the third. Grage hit a solo HR in the first to tie the game at 1-1. Sarah Wayson had one RBI in each game. Her sixth inning single in the opener provided Rochester with a cushion.
Rochester led, 1-0, in the first inning of the opener. Kayla Kibling doubled, moved over on Wayson's sac bunt, and scored on Grage's groundout. Fisher leveled it in the third. Kate Disbrow reached second on a throwing error. She was bunted to third by Meghan Burns and came home two batters later when Lauren Owens singled through the right side.
The Yellowjackets took the lead back in their half of the third. Grage's flyball to right was lost in the sun and fell for a triple. Wechsler singled her home. Muni doubled Wechsler to third, but Thayer cracked down, striking out Julia Liberto, then fanning pinch-hitter Ashely Amidon after a walk loaded the bases.
Fisher threatened in the fourth – Katie Mazierski doubled and was bunted to third but was left there – in the fifth – Grage got Karlie Neale to ground out with two on – and in the sixth – Mazierski singled and was bunted to second. Grage fanned pinch-hitter Kylee Martin and got Disbrow on a comebacker.
The Yellowjackets got the insurance run they needed in the sixth. Murillo doubled to right center and was bunted to third by Steph Brunet. After Kibling struck out (Thayer's 11th K), Wayson dropped a single into short left to score the run.
In the nitecap, Owens singled with two down in the first and Kristina Balsano doubled to left for a run. Rochester tied it at 1-1 on Grage's sixth HR of the season – a line drive over the left-centerfield fence.
The Yellowjackets broke it open with five in the third and five more in the fourth. Kibling singled home one run in the third. A single by Wayson put two runners aboard. Grage's flyball was dropped, scoring Kibling. Wechsler struck out, but Muni followed with a long three-run home run to left. That brought on Kayla DePara. She got out of the inning, but walked three straight with one out in the fourth. Wayson hit a sharp grounder up the middle that bounced off DePara's foot. Genevieve Paeglow grabbed the ball and beat Wayson to the bag for the second out as Murillo scored for a 7-1 lead. Grage singled home two runs. Muni singled home Grage and Julia Liberto singled in Wechsler.