Middlebury completed a three-game sweep of Hamilton as the Panthers picked up 7-5 and 7-2 victories over the Continentals on Forbes Field. Middlebury will travel to Castleton on Tuesday, while Hamilton visits Union. A Hamilton sweep against Amherst next weekend, would put the Panthers in the NESCAC Tourney.
Middlebury took a 1-0 lead in the first inning of game one as Nick Lefeber scored on a throwing error with the bases loaded. A single through the right side by Gabe Broughton in the second inning scored Danny Seymour to make it a 2-0 game. Lefeber followed with a similar hit to score Tyler Lohman to give the Panthers a 3-0 lead.
Middlebury starter Jack Britton got out of a few jams in the early innings, allowing a run in the third to the Continentals on a SAC fly from Dan Hood that scored Patrick Suarez, who had doubled to left.
Hamilton rallied again in the fourth, scoring three times to take a 4-3 lead. The first run scored on a fielder's choice before Suarez singled to center to score Alex Augustyn. Pat McGarry walked with the bases loaded for the third run of the inning.
Middlebury tied the game in the fifth as Erich Enns scored on a SAC fly from Danny Seymour, after leading off the inning with a triple down the right field line.
The Panthers scored the go-ahead runs in the bottom of the sixth, as Tim Dillon led off with a walk. Noah Walker and John Lanahan singled to load the bases. Each runner moved up on a wild pitch before Enns plated Lanahan and Walker with a single to left.
Hamilton threatened in the seventh, but could only score one as Suarez hit a SAC fly to left to score Augustyn to make it a 7-5 final.
Christian Hansen earned the win in relief for the Panthers, allowing a run and four hits over two innings. Hamilton reliever Max Foster took the loss, allowing three runs in a pair of innings.
Walker went 3-4 at the plate, while Enns was 2-3 with two RBI to lead Middlebury. Suarez had a 3-3 game for Hamilton with two driven in, while Augustyn, Jack Maloney and Gideon Clark each had two hits.
In game two, Middlebury scored one run in the first inning on a throwing error that allowed Lefeber to score from second base. The Panthers added another run in the fifth inning when Lanahan blasted a triple, scoring Lefeber from second base, giving Middlebury a 2-0 lead.
Hamilton threatened in the sixth inning with the bases-loaded and one out, but starting pitcher Robert Palladino got out of the jam with a force out at home and first, both assisted by Lanahan at third base.
In the seventh, Hamilton's starting pitcher Bryden Considine was relieved by Hood, leaving runners on first and second. Middlebury's Alex Blair jumped on a fastball and stroked a one-hop double to left field, scoring both runners for a 4-0 lead.
Middlebury struck for three more runs in the eighth off of reliever Jake Saidman, who started the inning. A throwing error allowed Lohman to score from third for a 5-0 advantage. With first and third and two outs, Lanahan laced a double to deep left center for two RBI and a 7-0 lead.
In the ninth, Hamilton finally got to Palladino. A one out, bases-loaded single up the middle by John Porges scored two, cutting the Panther lead to 7-2. Palladino settled down and forced a game-ending double play on the next batter, securing the win.
Pallidino went the distance, pitching nine innings, allowing two earned runs and striking out three, improving his record to 3-1 on the year. Considine took the loss, giving up four runs, three of them earned, in six and a third innings, dropping his record to 2-3.
Lanahan went 2-5 with a triple, double and three RBI, while Blair, a fourth inning substitution, went 2-3 with a double and two RBI to lead Middlebury. Gideon Clark and Suarez each had a pair of singles for the Continentals, while Porges collected a double and a single to go with his two RBI.
