The Middlebury softball team split a doubleheader at Amherst (12-4, 3-2) on Saturday, taking game on 4-1 before falling by a 6-1 score in the nightcap. Including the 1-0 win on Friday, Middlebury took 2-3 games to win the series. The Panthers (8-7, 2-1) are scheduled to return to action on Tuesday when Union comes to town for a pair.

With a big third inning, the Panthers took the first game of the doubleheader, 4-1. Scoreless after the first, Sarah Freyre reached on an error in the top of the second before moving to third on a Carlyn Vachow single through the right side. 

After Vachow stole second, Hye-Jin Kim found a hole on the left side of the infield, bringing in Freyre. Kelsey Martel beat out a ground ball to short, allowing Vachow to touch the plate. A fielder's choice off the bat of Alex Scibetta plated the frame's final run as Kim came around to touch home.

Amherst got one back in the bottom of the third thanks to a lead-off home run from Annie Apffel. Needing an insurance run in the top of the seventh, Scibetta reached on another fielder's choice that allowed Vachow to score, making it 4-1 in favor of the visitors.

Neve Stearns tossed four innings in the win for Middlebury, allowing one run on five hits. Elizabeth Morris, who no-hit the Jeffs Friday afternoon in the series opener, pitched the final three frames, surrendering just two hits while striking out four. Going five innings, Arielle Doering took her first loss of the season after giving up three runs (two earned) on seven hits.

Brianna Cook led the Jeff offense, going 3-3, while Apffel was 1-2 with a homer. Scibetta was 1-4 with two RBI as six different Panthers combined for seven hits.

Avoiding a series sweep, Amherst's bats came to life in game two as the Jeffs pulled away for a 6-1 victory. Getting to Middlebury starter Kat Maehr early, the Jeffs opened the scoring in the bottom of the second when a Nicolette Miranda two-out single coupled with a Panther error allowed Carolyn Miller to score.

With one out and the bases loaded in the bottom of the third, Alyssa Sherwill singled to short, plating Kelsey Ayers. Miller followed up with a fielder's choice to second, allowing Donna Leet to come home. After Leet singled in another run in the bottom of the fourth, Middlebury broke through in the top of the sixth.

Emily Kraytenberg got things started with a one-out single to center before Freyre drew a walk to put two aboard. After Vachow lined out, Kim came up with a big base-knock, doubling down the left field line to bring in Kraytenberg.

Coming right back, Amherst tacked on two more runs in the bottom of the frame. Kaitlin Silkowitz and Ayers led things off with back-to-back singles. With runners on second and third thanks to a Middlebury miscue, Leet grounded out to first, but allowed Silkowitz to score. Cook then lifted a sacrifice fly to left to plate Amherst's sixth and final run.

Jackie Buechler tossed a complete game in the win, scattering six hits while fanning a pair of Panther batters. Maehr lasted just two innings in the loss, giving up a run on two hits. Morris surrendered a pair of runs on three hits, while Stearns allowed the final three runs on six hits.

Silkowitz, Ayers, Sherwill and Leet each had a pair of hits, with Leet also recording a pair of RBI. Kraytenberg and Kim each finished 2-3, while Scibetta and Christina Bicks accounted for Middlebury's only other hits.