ROCHESTER, N.Y. – The Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) softball team competed for the top spot in the league on Saturday afternoon, and came out the other side still in a tie with Rochester in win percentage as the two programs split a doubleheader. The Engineers took Game 1 by a 4-3 final, while Rochester won the second game by a 7-0 final.
RPI moves to 29-7 overall with an 11-1 mark in Liberty League play, while Rochester goes to 28-6 overall with a 9-1 mark in league play.
Game 1
The first two innings were a pitching duel, as
Alexis Cooke and Rochester's Emily Sharlach went toe-to-toe.
The Engineers broke through first, with all four of their runs coming in the top of the third inning. RPI loaded the bases, and on a 3-2 pitch
Callista Adorno roped a single into center field, scoring both
Erin Askins and
Catherine Worthington to give the Engineers a 2-0 lead.
Alex Ledger extended the leadright behind Adorno, knocking a double to right field to score Adorno and
Gabby Comeau to make it a 4-0 lead.
Rochester finally got a run off of Cooke in the bottom of the fourth inning, as they scored off a caught stealing to cut the lead to 4-1.
Cooke continued to push through the Rochester lineup as the RPI lineup stayed quiet down the stretch.
Brooke Sroczinski relieved Cooke in the sixth inning, and surrendered a two-run home run to Madi Turner as the RPI lead shrank to 4-3.
However, Sroczinski got Rochester to go 1-2-3 in the bottom of the seventh, as she hung on for the win.
Game 2
It was all Rochester in the second game of the day, as they jumped on the board early with a run in the second inning. A bases loaded walk brought in the first run, while Hannah Keiper homered in the second inning to make it 2-0 Rochester.
Rochester broke it open in the fourth inning, scoring three runs on an error and a failed pickoff attempt to make it 5-0. Another two runs crossed the plate in the bottom of the sixth, highlighted by a double from Keiper.
RPI was held down on offense, collecting only three hits on the game. Rochester's Molly Broccolo pitched all seven innings of scoreless ball, striking out six along the way and walking just one.
RPI returns to action this Tuesday, May 2 at 3 p.m. when they appear for the final time in Troy during the regular season to take on Plattsburgh State in non-conference action.
