Middlebury took game one of a three-game NESCAC West series with Wesleyan, topping the Cardinals (9-11, 2-4) by a score of 6-2 on Friday. The two teams go at it against on Saturday, with the Panthers (11-7, 3-1) hosting a pair of contests beginning at noon.

Wesleyan starter  Su Pardo was cruising through 2 1/3 innings, striking out five of seven batters. Middlebury's Kimber Sable walked with one out in the third and moved to second on a single to left by Jackie Stern. Emily Kraytenberg followed with a walk to load the bases. One out later, Hye-Jin Kim belted a bases-clearing double off the left centerfield fence to put her team on top, 3-0.

Wesleyan answered in the fourth when Jill Gately blasted a solo shot to center to put her team on the board. The Cardinals added a solo run in the fifth after Jamie Hom walked and scored on a triple to right by Abigail Rutt.

Leading 3-2, Middlebury responded with a run in the bottom of the fifth. Three-straight singles with one out by Kim, Carlyn Vachow and Kelsey Martel loaded the bases. Kim scored on a passed ball before Vachow crossed the plate on a fielder's choice to short by Alex Scibetta. Martel later scored on a throwing error as the Panthers now held a 6-3 lead after five on their way to the win.

Elizabeth Morris moved to 5-1 on the year for the Panthers, allowing two earned runs with five strikeouts over six innings of work. Neve Stearns pitched a scoreless seventh. Stern finished 3-4 in the contest, while Kim went 2-4 with three RBI.

Pardo, who left in the fourth and re-entered in the fifth, suffered the loss, moving to 6-4 on the year. Rutt finished with a pair of hits, going 2-4 with one run scored.