The Middlebury College softball team opened up its season with an 11-game trip to Anaheim, California.
The Panthers opened their season with a 9-3 loss to Hamline. Sophomore Leslie Crawford (Mount Vernon, Wash.) went 3-3 in the game with a triple, while sophomore Geena Constantin (Pelham, N.H.) was 2-2 in the game. The Panthers earned their first win of the season later that day, as they defeated Hamilton, 9-4. Middlebury scored three runs in the first and sixth innings to secure the victory. Sophomore Ali McAnaney (Northbrook, Ill.) picked up the win, striking out eight over seven innings. Sophomore Megan Margel (Ridgewood, N.J.) went 3-4 with three RBI and a pair of doubles, while Crawford was 2-3 with two runs scored. Sophomore Kelsey Chisholm (Lynnfield, Mass.) also had a pair of hits in the game, while sophomore Nellie Wood (Hampden, Maine) doubled.
Middlebury earned its second straight win as they blanked La Sierra, 2-0. First-year pitcher Ashley Higgins (Ridgefield, Conn.) earned the complete game win, tossing a three-hit shutout with six strikeouts. Wood and Constantin drove in Middlebury's runs, while senior Amelia Magistrali (Torrington, Conn.) doubled for the Panthers.
Middlebury scored two in the seventh but it wasn't enough as they fell to Hamline, 4-2. Burbridge went 3-4 with a homer, two RBI and a run scored, while Crawford was 2-4 and Wood went 2-3 in the game.
The Panthers earned a 7-2 win over Carleton, pounding out 15 hits in the game. Constantin earned the win with seven K's over seven innings of work. Magistrali led the Panthers at the plate, going 4-4 with a triple and three runs scored. Margel went 3-4 with a double and two RBI, while first-year player Kira Gordon (Scarborough, Maine) was 3-4 with an RBI.
St. Thomas scratched out one run in the second inning which proved to be the game-winner, as the Tommies defeated the Panthers, 1-0. Magistrali and Margel each singled for Middlebury in the loss.
McAneney and Constantin combined to allow just one run as Middlebury defeated Carleton, 5-1. Burbridge went 3-4 with a double, while Margel had two hits with a double. Wood earned a triple for the Panthers, while Crawford belted a homer.
Middlebury ran into a hot Azusa Pacific team as they fell 9-0 in a five inning game. Wood, Komrovsky and Crawford each singled for the Panthers.
The Panthers entered NESCAC play as they fell to Williams 12-0 in game one of a three-game set in California. The Ephs struck for seven second inning runs and never looked back on their way to the win. Wood, Magistrali and Margel each had hits for the Panthers.
Middlebury picked up a win in game two of the series, scoring three in the bottom of the seventh to come away with the 4-2 win. Junior Kristin Maletsky (Kinnelon, N.J.) won the game for the Panthers with a two run homer in the seventh to break up the 2-2 tie. Constantin picked up the win, allowing one earned run and striking out three, while going 2-4 with a homer, two runs scored and two RBI. Maletsky went 2-3 with two driven in, while Margel had a 2-4 game. Burbridge and McAneney each doubled for the Panthers.
Williams took the series with a 14-3 win in game three. The Ephs struck for 11 runs in the third inning, as they earned 17 hits on the afternoon. Constantin went 2-2, while McAneney went 2-2 for the Panthers at the plate.
