From University of Rochester Athletics
Rochester broke out the bats late in each game and pulled away for a doubleheader sweep of Nazareth College on Tuesday afternoon. The Yellowjackets won the opener, 10-0, in five innings and game two, 9-0, in six innings. Both games were shortened by the mercy rule.
The Yellowjackets have won six in a row and eight of 10 since coming north from Florida. Rochester is 16-7 overall. Nazareth is 9-9. Rochester was ranked #20 in Division III in the April 8 poll issued by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association.
Brittany Grage picked up her 16th career shutout and her 50th career complete game with the victory in game one. She allowed one hit and one walk with four strikeouts in five innings. In game two, she was the big run producer. She was 3-4 with two runs scored and five RBIs, including her ninth home run of the year – a two-run shot in the fifth that put the Yellowjackets ahead, 5-0.
Eleni Wechsler scattered three hits without issuing a walk and struck out five to get the win in game two. This was her eighth career shutout and her 15th career complete game. She set down the first nine batters and had only one inning with two people aboard – the fourth. She got out of a first-and-second with two out situation by getting Sophia Rhoades on a comebacker.
Gabriela Alatorre carried the big bat in game one. She was 2-3, scored twice, and drove in four runs. With Rochester holding a 1-0 lead in the fourth, Wechsler singled but pinch runner Stephanie Brunet was caught stealing. Sara Wayson singled and Cathleen Konopka came on to run. Julia Liberto singled to center, moving Konopka to second. A wild pitch advanced both women and Alatorre tripled to right, increasing the lead to 3-0. She scored on Tiffany White's groundout.
Rochester opened it up in the fifth by scoring six unearned runs on five hits and three Nazareth errors. Kayla Kibling reached, was bunted to second, took third on a wild pitch, and scored on Grage's double to left center. After Wechsler bounced out, Wayson reached on a fielding error and took second as Grage scored. Liberto singled and both came home on Alatorre's double to right center. Jocelyn Blackshear pinch-hit and singled down the right field line, bringing home Alatorre. Blackshear took third on Ashley Amidon's pinch-hit single and eventually scored on an infield error.
In game two, Rochester scored its first run on a triple by Shelby Corning's triple (her third triple of the afternoon – she had two in game one) and a groundout by Grage. After the Grage HR in the fifth made it 3-0, Wayson reached on a two-out error. Liberto doubled to right. A passed ball scored Wayson with Liberto moving to third. She scored on Alatorre's single to right.
The Yellowjackets added four more in the sixth. Amidon pinch-hit a single and Laurelle Byrne-Cody ran for her. Kibling walked. Corning singled. The throw home was mishandled, allowing Byrne-Cody to score with runners moving to second and third. Grage singled home both, then scored on Wechsler's double to right center.