Middlebury's three runs in the second proved to be enough as the Panthers picked up a 4-0 win over Hamilton in game one of a three-game NESCAC West series in Vermont. The Panthers (14-8, 2-4) return to the diamond for a doubleheader on Saturday against the Continentals (10-20, 3-7) with a 12:00 p.m. start time.

Hamilton threatened in the first inning, getting runners on first and second with one out as Ashleah Yzaguirre singled and Olivia Gozdz walked. Panther pitcher Neve Stearns got out of the jam with consecutive fly outs to keep the game scoreless.

The Panthers opened the scoring in the last of the second inning, plating three runs. Hye-Jin Kim drove in the game's initial run with a sharp double to left center, scoring Siobhan O'Sullivan, who led off the inning with a single to center. Kat Maehr drove in the second run with an infield hit that deflected off Hamilton pitcher Desmen DePaulis, plating Erin Giles who previously singled through the left side. Kim touched the plate with the final run of the inning on a base hit up the middle by Kati Daczkowski.

Middlebury threatened in the third inning after O'Sullivan and Giles each singled with one out. One out later, Kim walked, but the bases were left loaded when Molly Leitner came on in relief, inducing a ground out.

Hamilton nearly got on the board in the fifth, but Yzaguirre, who tripled to left center, was later tagged on her way home on a nifty play by Stearns.

The Continentals rallied again the following inning when Daphne Assimakopoulos and Phoebe Collins opened the inning with singles. The runners advanced to second and third on a ground out before Stearns induced a ground out to end the threat.

The Panthers added a run in the sixth when Alli Della Volpe was hit by a pitch and later scored on an illegal pitch.

Hamilton made some noise in the seventh, placing runners on second and third after a walk by Delaney Nicol and a single from Gozdz, Stearns retired the final two batters to end the game.

Stearns (4-5) threw her fifth complete game of the season, giving up seven hits and four walks to go along with a pair of strikeouts. O'Sullivan finished the game 3-4 at the plate with a run scored, while Giles was 2-2 with a walk and run scored. Five other Panthers had hits in the game, including a double from Kim.

DePaulis (1-4) suffered the loss, giving up three runs on seven hits with one walk over 2.2 innings of work. Leitner came on in relief, allowing a run on three hits with a walk over 3.1 innings of work. Seven different players had hits for Hamilton, including a triple from Yzaguirre. Gozdz reached base four times, three via walks.