Wesleyan scored seven times in the bottom of the first inning, before holding off a Middlebury rally, as the Cardinals posted a 10-6 win Sunday in Connecticut. Wesleyan (13-6, 3-0) took all three games of the NESCAC West series. The Panthers return to the field Tuesday for their home opener, hosting Southern Vermont at 3:30 p.m.

The Cardinals had a big first inning, scoring seven times on only one hit. Five Cardinal batters walked with the bases loaded, while Alex Cappitelli delivered a two-run double as the hosts led 7-0.

Middlebury got a run back in the top of the second, when Alan Guild led off with a double down the right-field line. He later scored on an infield error, making it a 7-1 contest.

Guild helped the Panthers trim two more runs off the deficit in the third, driving in Brooks Carroll and Sam Graf with a single through the right side of the infield. The hosts answered in their half of the inning with two runs, extending the lead to 9-3.

The Panthers scored again in the fourth inning, as Brendan Donohue was hit by a pitch, stole second and crossed home plate on a double to the gap in right-center field by Hayden Smith. Middlebury continued to chip away two inning later with another pair of runs. Carroll dropped a double just inside the line in right field, driving in Donohue and Smith to make it a 9-6 contest.

The hosts added a final run in the seventh to close out the scoring in the 10-6 triumph.

Carroll finished with three hits in five at bats, including a pair of doubles, for Middlebury, while Guild (2-5) and Smith (2-4) each had two hits with a double. On the mound, Colin Waters (0-3) took the loss for the Panthers, while Robert Erickson allowed three runs on six hits in 6.2 innings of relief, while Jack Miller tossed a scoreless ninth inning.

Seven different Cardinals had a hit, while they also benefitted from nine walks. Jack Alonzo (2-0) earned the win with 2.2 innings of relief and Ryan Earle collected his third save, throwing the final 3.1 innings.