ROCHESTER, NY – Senior Madison Joseph had two hits and a run scored in each game including a solo home run in the nightcap but it was not enough for the Nazareth College softball team as the University of Rochester handed the Golden Flyers a pair of losses in the first two home games of the season Tuesday afternoon on Flyers Field.
Rochester (10-10) scored eight early runs in an 11-6 win in the opener and then scored five times in the first three innings to record a 5-1 win in game two.
In the opener, The Yellowjackets used a solo home run in the first to take the early lead and then added five unearned runs in the second to take a 6-0 lead.
With two more runs in the third, Rochester looked to have an unsurmountable lead but Nazareth (5-11) rallied for five runs in the bottom of the third inning to close the gap.
In the third, sophomore Janelle Walters started the inning with an infield single and then fellow sophomore Mackenzie Kapp walked to put two runners on. Senior Marissa Tortora followed with a double down the right field line to score the two runners and Joseph followed with a walk.
Sisters Kristen and Sarah Simmons followed with back-to-back doubles to plate three more runs and trim the lead to 8-5.
Rochester regained control in the top of the fourth inning with three more runs for an 11-5 lead and then the Golden Flyers capped the scoring with a single run in the bottom half of the inning. Neither team scored for the final three innings of play.
Joseph was 2-for-3 with a run scored and Walters was 3-for-4 with two runs.
In the second game, Rochester jumped to a 2-0 lead with a pair of runs in the first inning and took a 5-0 lead with three more in the third. The lone Nazareth run came off the bat of Joseph who led off the sixth with a solo home run – her team-leading fourth of the season.
The Golden Flyers threatened in the fifth with bases loaded and no outs but Rochester forced a runner out at the plate and then got out of the inning with a pair of infield popouts to end the threat.
Sophomore Gabriella Corasantini started the second game and scattered eight hits over five innings. Freshman Maddie Funk pitched in relief in both games and finished the day with four scoreless innings as she allowed four hits and struck out two batters.
The Golden Flyers are back in action Wednesday at SUNY Brockport with a 3 p.m. doubleheader and are scheduled to host St. John Fisher in an Empire 8 doubleheader Friday with a 3 p.m. start.
