The Middlebury softball team fell to Amherst by an 11-1 score in five innings on Saturday afternoon. The game was both the home opener and the NESCAC West initial game for the Panthers. Middlebury (6-5, 0-1) and Amherst return to the field on Sunday and will conclude their weekend divisional series with a doubleheader beginning at 12:00 p.m.

With the game scoreless entering the top of the third inning, Amherst blew the game open with a 10-run, eight-hit effort. Run-scoring singles from Andrea Sanders and Ally Kido put the Mammoths ahead 2-0. With the bases loaded, Alena Marowitz ripped a triple down the left-field line, plating three runs for the visitors. Annie McCluskey and Julia Turner followed with RBI singles, while Lauren Tuiskula laced a two-run base hit up the middle for a 9-0 advantage. Amherst's 10th run of the frame scored on a wild pitch.

Tuiskula gave the Mammoths an 11-0 lead in the fifth when she singled on a bunt and came around to score on a passed ball.

The Panthers got on the board with a single tally in the bottom of the inning. With one out, Hye-Jin Kim walked, moved to second a single down the left-field line by Liza Tarr and scored on a single to center from Kati Daczkowski.

Allison Quigley (3-3) took the loss in the circle for the Panthers, allowing 10 runs, eight earned, on 10 hits with two strikeouts in three innings. Taylor Gardner pitched the final two innings, allowing just one unearned run.

Gina Pagan (10-3) picked up the win for Amherst, allowing one run on three hits with 10 strikeouts in five innings. Tuiskula went 3-3 with a double, two RBI and two runs scored for the Mammoths, while Kido was 2-4 with an RBI and run scored. Marovitz was 1-2 with three RBI and two walks.