From University of Rochester Athletics
The return north from Florida did good things for the softball team at the University of Rochester. The Yellowjackets lost a 1-0 pitchers' duel, then captured an exciting 6-4 win in the nitecap as UR split a doubleheader with the nationally-ranked Cardinals.
UR struggled from the plate in the first game; as a team the Yellowjackets only had one hit. One other runner reached off a Cardinal error. Senior Kayla Kibling solidified the infield defense for Rochester. She made numerous critical plays at shortstop and took away many SJFC bids for hits. She finished with three putouts and four assists. It was Kibling's first game of the season. She spent the winter with the women's basketball team and helped guide the Yellowjackets into the Elite 8 of the NCAA Division III playoffs.
Junior Eleni Wechsler pitched all six innings allowing one run, on six hits and two walks. She fanned five. Wechsler had Rochester's hit – a single in the top of the seventh with one down. Pinch-runner Raegan Herne was thrown out trying to steal and the game ended one hitter later when Fisher's Lindsey Thayer fanned Rachael Pletz.
Thayer pitched a complete game, recording 14 of her 21 outs by strikeout. She retired the first 10 hitters before Harleigh Kaczegowicz reached on an error. Freshman Ashley prince had the lone RBI for the Cardinals off of a single to right field scoring sophomore Katie Mazierski.
In the second game of the day, UR came out strong. Jocelynn Blackshear drove in Kaczegowicz in the top of the first. In the 3rd, Pletz doubled to right field scoring Herne. In the top of the 4th, two straight singles by junior Shelby Corning and senior Laurelle Byrne-Cody got the Yellowjackets going and a Kibling walk loaded the bases. Kaczegowicz bounced out to second, scoring Byrne-Cody. Wechsler singled sharply, scoring Corning and Kibling. She took second on the thrown home. A walk to Gianna Melillo put tow on and Wechsler took third on a lineout to right by Pletz. Fisher wriggled out of it, retiring Blackshear on a comebacker.
An important insurance run was scored – unearned - in the sixth. Kaczegowicz singled to left and advanced to second on Wechsler's sac bunt. She scored when Melillo reached on an error.
The Cardinals didn't go down without a seventh-inning rally. They strung together three hits to produce one run before Kristina Balsano clubbed a three-run HR to make it 6-4. Wechsler got a flyout, allowed a base hit, then ended the game on a roller to short. In seven innings, she scattered eight hits, struck out two, and did not allow a walk.