SCHENECTADY, NY -- Junior pitcher Beth Ameno (Buffalo, NY) improved to 21-8 with two victories and struck out 18 batters in leading the University of Rochester to the Liberty League Softball Championship Saturday. The Yellowjackets swept Union College, 12-5 and 6-1 at Alexander Field to improve to a perfect 8-0 in the league and 28-10 overall. Rochester won the title for the second straight season, and was also 8-0 in 2007. The Dutchwomen had a 12 game winning streak snapped and stand 29-6 overall while finishing league play in second place at 6-2.

Ameno struck out 10 and allowed four hits in five innings in the opener. The Yellowjackets jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the first with five hits, highlighted by RBI singles by Brittany Celeste (South Glens Falls, NY), Melissa Alternose (Mt. Pocono, PA) and Ameno. In the third, the guests made it 6-0 on a two-run homer by Erin Clark (Mannsville, NY), her third of the season. It was 8-0 entering the bottom of the fifth, but the Dutchwomen kept the game alive on a solo homer by Alexandra King (Chester Springs, PA), her fourth of the year. Union touched up reliever Brittany Hylen (Papillon, NE) with back-to-back solo homers by Michelle Rogers (Clarence, NY) and Megan Kaknis (New Windsor, NY) in the sixth to make it 8-3. But Rochester chased starter Ginny Sack (Burnt Hills, NY) with a four run seventh, featuring a two run shot by Lindsay Macaluso. Rogers hit her second of the game and fourth of the year in the bottom of the seventh.

Clark had three hits and two RBIs while Macaluso, Ameno and Elizabeth Slupinski (Hamburg, NY) collected two safeties each, part of a 12 hit Yellowjacket attack. Kaknis had three hits in the game while Lindsay Larabee (Westfield, MA) joined Rogers with two hits in the opener. Starter Ginny Sack (Burnt Hills, NY) fell to 20-4 and had a personal 10 game winning streak halted.

In the nightcap, Ameno, entering the game ranked ninth in NCAA Division III in victories, scattered three hits and struck out eight in the complete game triumph. Winn hit her second round tripper of the year, to left center, for a 2-0 Rochester lead in the second, and the Yellowjackets got consecutive RBI doubles from Macaluso and Clark for a 4-0 lead in the third. Kaknis hit a two out double to plate Ashley Kovack (Ridgefield, CT) for Union's lone run in the bottom of the third. Sorrentino closed out the scoring with a two run homer to left center in the top of the seventh to provide the eventual final score of 6-1. Sorrentino and Slupinski had two hits each for Rochester, while Kaknis had two of Union's three hits. Starter Tiffany Ippoliti (Schuylerville, NY) lost for the first time in seven decision for the Dutchwomen.

Both teams will await the announcement of the NCAA Division III post-season tournament field, which could be announced later Sunday evening.

 

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