Courtesy of UofRAthletics.com
University of Rochester won its 18th straight to tie the program record with a doubleheader sweep of the Ithaca College Bombers on Sunday at Kostrinsky Field. The Yellowjackets took game one, 1-0, behind a superb outing from Molly Broccolo, before edging the Bombers in game two, 7-6, on Molly Mason’s go-ahead RBI double.
With the two wins, Rochester moves to 21-5 (4-0 LL) on the year, while Ithaca falls to 14-7-1 (2-2 LL). The ‘Jackets also match their program record 18-game win streak, set in 2022.
GAME ONE: Rochester 1, Ithaca 0
Broccolo ran into some trouble in the bottom of first, as the Bombers loaded the bases with just one out. Sela Scheinman led off with a single, Allison Dell’Orto drew a one-out walk and Tava Kasper singled up the middle to bring up Kailey Collins, as the Bombers looked to take the early lead.
But Broccolo got Collins to ground into a fielder’s choice, and then worked out of the jam with another groundout, stranding the bases loaded to keep the ‘Jackets and Bombers scoreless through one.
Both teams would go in order in the second before Rochester took the lead in the top of the third. Riley Piromalli looked to work another 1-2-3 frame, setting down the first two Yellowjackets, but Ally Kim singled and stole second to bring up Bailey Nicholoff, who doubled to center, scoring Kim to give UR a 1-0 advantage.
That would be all Broccolo needed, as the first-year, after loading the bases in the bottom of the first, retired the next 17 Bombers over the second through sixth innings.
Broccolo got a pair of groundouts in both the second, third, fifth and sixth innings, struck out one in the fifth and got three groundouts in the fourth, as the Webster, NY native kept Ithaca from even threatening through the first six innings.
In both the top of the sixth and seventh, Rochester looked to add a few insurance runs, loading the bases in the sixth and putting runners at the corners in the seventh, but Piromalli worked out of both jams without allowing a run, sending the Bombers to the plate in the bottom of the seventh, down 1-0.
And though Broccolo would walk the leadoff batter in Kasper, Collins lined into a double play to erase the base runner, and a batter later, Broccolo finished off the victory, getting Haley Petrucci to groundout to strand a two-base runner and solidify the 1-0 victory.
Broccolo (11-2) earned the win, allowing just two hits and walking a pair over 7.0 innings pitched for the first-year’s sixth shutout and 12th complete game, while Piromalli (6-5) took the loss, allowing one run on eight hits over 7.0 innings pitched.
At the plate, Nicholloff went 2-for-4 with an RBI double, Gorecki went 2-for-2 with two walks, and Kim went 1-for-4 with a stolen base and run scored.
GAME TWO: Rochester 7, Ithaca 6
Taking advantage of a pair of defensive miscues, the Yellowjackets once again struck first against the Bombers, taking the lead with four runs in the top of the first.
After Kim and Nicholoff both reached on errors and advanced to second and third on a passed ball, Gorecki cleared the bases with a two-run single, giving the ‘Jackets a 2-0 lead. Madi Turner then followed with another single, and after Savannah Nowak’s sacrifice bunt moved the runners to second and third, Mason doubled UR’s lead with a two-run double to left center.
Maddie White then made quick work of the Bombers with a 1-2-3 bottom of the first, and the ‘Jackets added another run in the second.
Kim again reached on an error and took second before Gorecki again brought the sophomore home, this time with an RBI double to make it a 5-0 Yellowjacket lead.
The Bombers would pick up their first hit of the game against White in the bottom of the second, but White struck out a pair to strand the runner and send the ‘Jackets to the third, where they added another run.
Hunter Gilbreath drew a two-out walk, and Ilana Weiss followed with a single to put runners at first and third. Rochester then attempted a double steal and Ithaca’s catcher threw the ball away, allowing Gilbreath to come home to score and make it a 6-0 lead.
White would pitch another 1-2-3 frame in the third, but after a scoreless top of the fourth for the ‘Jackets, Ithaca broke through with five in the bottom of the frame to pull within a run.
The Bombers loaded the bases against White, before Madison Casale’s RBI groundout made it a 6-1 game. Petrucci then blasted a three-run shot to left, and Olivia Comolli followed with another home run to make it back-to-back ‘jacks for the Bombers, cutting Rochester’s lead to just one, 6-5.
Broccolo relieved White and would work around a pair of singles to keep UR in front, but after a scoreless fifth, the Bombers tied things up in the bottom of the sixth.
Three singles by Petrucci, Belle de Oliveira and Scheinman knotted the score at six-all, as Broccolo gave up an earned run for the first time since March 22. But the Webster, NY native stranded a pair and kept Ithaca from taking the lead, getting Hudson Hassler to line out to Kim to end the inning.
And the Yellowjackets quickly responded to retake the lead in the top of the seventh. Gorecki led off the inning with a double and was pinch-ran for by Loren Castilloux. Castilloux took second on Nowak’s groundout before Mason came through with a clutch double to give Rochester a 7-6 lead.
Broccolo then settled down to make quick work of the Bombers in the bottom of the frame, inducing a trio of groundouts to finish off the sweep and 7-6 UR victory.
Broccolo (11-2) again earned the win, allowing one run on five hits over 3.1 innings of relief, while White allowed five runs on four hits, striking out five over 3.2 innings in the circle.
Anna Cornell (8-2) took the loss for Ithaca, allowing seven runs, but just two earned, on nine hits, striking out six over 7.0 innings pitched.
Gorecki and Mason each went 3-for-4 with two doubles and three RBI to lead the ‘Jackets at the plate, while Gorecki added a run scored. Nicholoff added another double, going 1-for-4 with a run scored, while Kim scored a team-high two runs.
The Yellowjackets next head to Pittsford, NY for a doubleheader against Nazareth College on Tuesday, April 18 beginning at 3:00 p.m., as they look to set a new record for the longest win streak in program history.
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