Middlebury (18-8) scored seven times in the first three innings, before posting a 9-4 home victory over Plymouth State on Wednesday. The hosts open a three-game NESCAC West series with Wesleyan on Friday at 4:00 p.m. at Forbes Field, while Plymouth State (11-18) is home tomorrow against New England College at 3:30 p.m.

The game was scoreless into the bottom of the second inning when Middlebury struck for four unearned runs. Kevin Woodring touched the plate with the initial run, scoring on a base hit to left field by Hayden Smith. Andrew Gough drove in Alec Ritch with a single to left, before Smith raced home on a wild pitch. The hosts made it 4-0, as Henry Strmecki delivered another two-out hit to score Gough.

PSU cut into the lead in the top of the third, as Josh Goulet belted a three-run homer run to center field. The visitors nearly tied the game on a base hit to right field by James Salta, but a strong throw by Ritch and a good tag by catcher Gray Goolsby cut Ryan Richard down at the plate.

Middlebury got the three runs right back in the third when Goolsby laced a two-run single to center field and Justin Han brought in a run on a fielder's choice for a 7-3 lead.

Plymouth State trimmed a run off the difference in the top of the eighth to make it a 7-4 score, when a pitch hit Jake McMaster with the bases loaded.

The hosts tacked on two runs in the last half of the frame, as Han scored on a single by Brooks Carroll, who later came home on a wild pitch for a 9-4 edge.

Smith led Middlebury with a 3-4 performance at the plate with one run scored and a RBI. Strmecki, Carroll, Woodring and Ritch added to the team's 13-hit attack with two apiece. Alex Rosario allowed three runs on five hits over four innings, while Colby Morris (4-1) earned the win with a scoreless inning of relief. In all, six different pitchers combined to fan 12 PSU batters.

For Plymouth State, Goulet went 3-5 with a home run, three runs batted in and a run scored, while Jimmy Zimolka went 2-3 and scored twice. Alex Libby (2-2) allowed seven runs (one earned) over seven innings with five strikeouts.