Hamilton utilized a three-run eighth inning Sunday afternoon turning a 2-0 edge into a five-run lead on its way to a 5-1 victory, taking the rubber game of a NESCAC West series against Middlebury at Forbes Field. The Panthers (1-14, 1-8) return to the field with a three-game conference series on Friday and Saturday when they host Wesleyan, while the Continentals (9-6, 2-1) host SUNY-Canton on Tuesday at 7:00 p.m.

Hamilton jumped on the board with single tallies in the second and fourth innings. In the second, Andrew Haser singled to center field and came around to score on a two-out base hit off the bat of David Rose. Two innings later, Chris Collins doubled down the left field line and scored on a bloop single down the left field line by Tyler Reinhold.

The score remained a 2-0 Hamilton advantage until the top of the eighth as Middlebury starter Joe MacDonald and Hamilton right-hander Alex Pachella were locked in a pitcher's duel. Haser led off with a single to center, moved over on a sacrifice bunt and raced around to score on a double just inside the left field line from pinch-hitter Robert Morris ending MacDonald's day. Morris moved to third and eventually scored on a pair of wild pitches sandwiched around a strikeout. The third Hamilton run of the frame came when Nick Taylor, who was inserted as a pinch runner, touched home plate on another Middlebury wild pitch.

Middlebury looked to mount a rally in the bottom of the ninth. Jason Lock smacked a 1-0 fastball through the right side of the infield for a base hit. He moved over to third on a pair of groundouts and scored on an RBI single down the left field line by Andrew Corcoran. Pachella ended the game inducing a foul out to the first baseman.      

Max Araya raised his season average to .373 with a 2-4 day at the plate for the Panthers.

Haser went 3-5 with a pair of runs scored for Hamilton, while Reinhold was 2-3 for the visitors.

MacDonald (0-1) took the loss for Middlebury, giving up four runs on 10 hits with three strikeouts in 7.1 innings of work. Dylan Takamori recorded an out, while Eddie DeArias and Jake Stalcup both tallied a pair of outs.

Pachella (2-1) went the distance for Hamilton on 113 pitches, giving up just the ninth-inning run on five hits and struck out seven against just one walk.