Ithaca, N.Y. -- The second-seeded Rochester Yellow Jackets (32-10) opened NCAA tournament play with a 4-0 win over the sixth-seeded King's (Pa.) Monarchs (24-13) in Thursday's third game of the NCAA regional being held at Ithaca College. The Yellow Jackets received a one-hit shutout and an RBI single from pitcher Beth Ameno.
Rochester will face sixth-seeded Keuka Friday at noon. The Monarchs will take on third-seeded St. John Fisher Friday at 10 a.m. in an elimination game.
Ameno retired 18 of the last 19 King's batters she faced. The only hit she gave up -- a one-out first-inning single by shortstop Meghan Galvin -- was followed by a double play. She issued a leadoff walk to open the second, then set down 16 straight Monarchs before an infield error in the top of the seventh. She finished with six strikeouts.
The Yellow Jackets scored all four of their runs in the third, collecting four of their seven hits in the inning. Macaluso singled up the middle to score catcher Juliana Nicholson, who'd been hit by a pitch to lead off the inning and moved to second on a ground out. A bunt single and stolen base by center fielder Katie McLean put runners on second and third for Rochester and left fielder Kim Grimes singled through the right side to plate both runners. Ameno's RBI double scored Grimes for the final run.
McLean and Grimes both collected a pair of hits.