TROY, N.Y. - Sophomore Devan Puhl went 4 for 4 to lead the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) softball team to a 6-5 win over the University of Rochester, in Game 2 of a Liberty League doubleheader on Saturday at Doris Robison Field. The Engineers, who lost Game 1, 8-0, move to 17-5 overall (3-1 Liberty League), while the Yellowjackets are 9-15 (2-2 Liberty League).

In Game 2 on the day, RPI answered a Rochester first-inning run with three of their own in the bottom half. Junior Stephanie Caudle got the rally started when she singled to left, plating Puhl and moving senior captain Taylor Ten Eyck to second. Morgan Ten Eyck then singled-home Taylor, before an RBI-single off the bat of Victoria Greco plated Caudle.

The Yellowjackets trimmed the Rensselaer lead to 3-2 in the third, taking advantage of an RBI error in the field.

A Caudle double in the bottom of the fifth brought home Puhl for a second time and junior Courtney McArthur followed with a single up the middle to make it a 5-2 lead for the hosts.

Puhl drove in her only run of the game in the sixth, swatting a base hit to left center, which drove in Rebecca Kienz.

Rachel Pletz brought Rochester within 6-3 with an RBI-double in the top of the seventh. Eleni Wechsler and Gianna Melillo each rapped run-scoring hits to left to draw within 6-5 and chase starting pitcher Victoria Hepworth from the circle.

Caudle came on the finish the job, however, as Melillo was thrown out by Ten Eyck, trying to steal second with outs.

Hepworth (5-0) allowed four runs on five hits in 6.2 innings. She struck out four and walked four. Caudle earned her fourth save, recording just one out. Wechsler (6-10) went just 1.0 inning, surrendering three runs (1 earned) on four hits, before giving way to Sam Malecki. She worked the final 5.0 innings in relief, coughing up three runs in eight hits.

Game 1 saw the Yellowjackets score once in the fourth, twice in the sixth and five times in the seventh to earn the shutout win. 

Wechsler went the distance, allowing only two hits in 7.0 innings. She struck out four and walked three. Caudle (7-3) shouldered the loss for RPI, as she was tagged with five runs (four earned) on 10 hits in 6.0 innings. Freshman Stephanie Deeb gave up three unearned runs on five hits in 0.2 innings of relief.

RPI is back in action on Tuesday, when it visits Williams for a non-league doubleheader (3:30pm). Rochester visits Utica for two on Wednesday (3:30pm).