The Middlebury softball team dropped its final two games Friday during its spring break trip to Clermont, Florida. The Panthers fell in the day's opening game to the University of Chicago by a 9-2 score, and dropped a narrow 3-2 game to Lawrence in games held at the National Training Center.

Against Chicago (9-0), the Maroons jumped out to the early lead pushing across a single run in the top of the first. The Panthers responded with a pair of scores in the bottom of the frame. Kimber Sable and Christina Bicks both induced walks, and eventually came around to score via a single off the bat of Emily Kraytenberg.

Chicago scored two runs in the third and fourth innings, along with three more in the fifth. The Maroons tacked on one in the seventh for the final 9-2 score.

Alexa Lesenskyj took the loss (0-2) tossing the first four innings. She was charged with five runs, just one earned, on five hits and recorded a pair of strikeouts. Erin Giles hurled the final three frames for Middlebury.

In game two, Middlebury out hit Lawrence 8-3, but allowed three unearned runs en route to the 3-2 setback. Trailing 2-0 in the fifth, Emma Hamilton tripled and later scored on a wild pitch to make it a 2-1 game.

Lawrence (7-5) added another unearned run in the sixth, while the Panthers made it a one-run game in the top of the seventh. Jye-Jin Kim singled and later scored on an RBI base hit from Sarah Freyre to bring the Panthers within one with two outs. Unfortunately, the rally ended there as Middlebury came up on the short end, 3-2.

Elizabeth Morris (3-1) allowed just three hits over six innings of work, striking out six. Kim, Freyre and Kraytenberg each had two hits in the game.

Rookie Sarah Freyre finished the spring trip with a .395 average to pace the team, including team-highs with four doubles, two homers and 13 RBI.