Middlebury's two out, three run rally in the bottom of the seventh wasn't enough to catch visiting Hamilton as the Continentals held on to win 9-8 on Friday evening. With the win, Hamilton improves to 11-14 overall and 3-7 in NESCAC West play, while the Panthers drop to 2-8 in conference action and 13-19 on the season. The three game series continues on Saturday with the first pitch slated for noon.

Leading 2-1 after four innings, Hamilton erupted in the top of the fifth scoring seven runs on five hits and were aided by four errors by Middlebury for a 9-1 lead. Liz Farrington began the inning with a single, later moving to third on a failed pickoff attempt. An illegal pitch by Panther starter Brittany Burke scored Farrington for a 3-1 lead. Later in the inning Burke allowed a run on a wild pitch while another scored on an errant throw to third base. Leading 5-1 the Continentals added RBI by Elizabeth Reid, Leigh Sherrow and Erin Hoener before Burke tossed another wild pitch plating another Continental runner. Trailing 9-1 with two outs, Burke was pulled for Geena Constantin who struck out the first batter she faced to end the frame.

In the bottom of the inning, Carlie Crawford hit a two-out single and was driven in by Megan Margel's triple to right. Constantin singled in Margel, cutting the lead to 9-3. Constantin held the Hamilton bats in check in the sixth as Middlebury added two more runs including an RBI double by Kristin Maletsky.

The Continentals went down quietly in the seventh inning, setting up another two-out rally in the home half of the final inning of play. With runners on first and second, Amelia Magistrali cut the lead to 9-6 with an RBI single up the middle. Maletsky followed up with her second double on the day, driving in two more runs, trimming the lead to 9-8. With Maletsky on second, Hamilton's starting pitcher Megan Coughlin enticed Kelsey Chisholm into a foul pop-out sealing the win.

Maletsky led Middlebury going 3-4 with three RBI and two doubles, while four other Panthers collected a pair of hits. Three Continentals went 2-4, including Amber O'Connor who added a single and a two-RBI double, while Farrington went 2-2 with a double.

Coughlin got the win for Hamilton, going all seven innings, giving up eight runs, three earned, to improve her record to 8-9 on the year. Burke took the loss, going 4.2 innings, allowing all nine runs, four of which were earned, to drop her record to 6-7. Constantin pitched 2.1 innings, giving up no hits and walking just one in relief.