Middlebury collected 13 hits and received a quality outing from pitcher Neve Stearns during the second game of a doubleheader split with Skidmore on Friday. The Thoroughbreds won the opening the game 10-4 in the home-opening games, but Middlebury rebounded for a 5-2 triumph in the nightcap. The Panthers (6-6) are home again Sunday for a doubleheader against Castleton State at 1:00 p.m., while Skidmore (8-12) is back on the field Sunday for a home twin bill against St. Lawrence at 1:00 p.m.

In the opening contest, the Thoroughbreds struck for five runs in the top of the second to take the early lead. Karly Fishkin, Dani DeGregory and May-Lin McEvoy each plated runs with RBI singles, while DeGregory made it 4-0 scoring on an error and McEvoy raced home on a wild pitch to cap the big inning.

The Panthers cut into the deficit in the bottom of the fourth with a pair of unearned runs. Kati Daczkowski entered the game as pinch-runner for Emma Hamilton, who reached on a single, and scored on an infield error. Hye-Jin Kim made it a 5-2 game with a single to center field to drive in Ande Troutman, who entered the game as a pinch-runner following a base hit by Erin Giles.

In the top of the fifth, Skidmore made it a 6-2 game when Jill Strileckis stole home after Fishkin walked and got in a rundown between first and second.

Middlebury pulled two within two runs (6-4) in the last of the sixth. Taylor Gardner singled to left field to drive in Siobhan O'Sullivan, and Kim followed with a double to plate Gardner.

The Thoroughbreds added four runs in the top of the seventh, as Lauren Fortunato had the big hit in the inning, a three-run double, extending their lead to 10-4.

Sarah Freyre started the bottom of the seventh for the Panthers with a lead-off double, but Skidmore's Amanda Carilli retired the next three batters in order to end the first game.

Kim went 2-3 for Middlebury with a double and two RBI, while Giles also was 2-3 at the plate. Irene Margiotta started for the Panthers in the circle and allowed five runs (three earned) in two innings, while Lane Dikeman tossed five innings of relief and yielded five runs with just one of them being earned.

Carilli tossed a complete game for Skidmore, allowing four runs (two earned) on nine hits for her sixth victory of the season. She also benefitted from a solid defense that turned three double plays. Fortunato reached base four times in the opener with her three-run double and three walks, while McEvoy picked up two hits and scored twice.

In the second game, the hosts struck early with three runs in the bottom of the first inning. Jackie Stern started the inning with a single and scored two batters later on a double to left center by Giles. O'Sullivan ripped a double into the left-center gap to plate Giles, while Freyre made it three-straight doubles driving in O'Sullivan for a 3-0 advantage.

The Panthers added two more runs in the second as Stern singled, stole second and scored on a triple to center by Troutman. Troutman scored one batter later on a single through the left side by Giles for a 5-0 lead.

The Thoroughbreds chipped into the deficit with a run in the top of the third as DeGregory and McEvoy smacked back-to-back triples. In the fourth, Cassie Fishkin belted a solo home run over the left-center field fence, making it a 5-2 game.

Stearns protected that lead in impressive fashion, as she retired the final 10 batters she faced to earn her first victory of the spring. She scattered four hits and gave up two runs with five strikeouts.

Giles and O'Sullivan each went 3-4 at the plate, while Stern and Troutman each had two hits in four at-bats for the hosts.

Casey Attonito took the loss for Skidmore, giving up five runs on 13 hits. Cassie Fishkin had a homer for the Thoroughbreds and McEvoy and DeGregory each tripled.