Middlebury scored multiple runs in four innings, including six in the ninth, for a 14-9 road win at Rensselaer (9-9) on Wednesday afternoon. The Panthers (11-5) return to action on Saturday when they visit Tufts for a pair of games beginning at 12:30 p.m.

Middlebury scored twice in the first inning to take an early lead. Brooks Carroll was hit by a pitch, stole second and third and then scored on a single to center by Henry Strmecki. He later scored on a sacrifice fly to right by Hayden Smith.

The Engineers tied the game in the bottom of the first, and then went ahead 7-2 in the second, thanks in part to a grand slam to right center by Joseph Curci.

The Panthers chipped away in the third when they scored three times. Kevin Woodring drew a bases-loaded walk, while Smith scored on a wild pitch. Two batters later, Gray Goolsby also walked with the bases full, making it a 7-5 game.

Middlebury went up 8-7 in the fifth inning with three runs, aided by four walks that helped the cause. Woodring led off with a triple to center and scored on a groundout by Goolsby. Carroll singled and touched home when Strmecki hit a two-run shot, making it an 8-7 game.

The visitors gained some breathing room in the ninth, adding six runs on five hits. Carroll and Strmecki singled, before Andrew Hennings was hit by a pitch to load the bases with nobody out. Justin Han followed, drawing a base on balls to force Carroll across the plate. Alex Gough drove in a run with a fielder's choice, while Woodring plated Gough with a base hit to left. The hits kept coming when Sam Graf belted an RBI double off the fence in right center. Goolsby then greeted a new pitcher with a two-run single to center, making it a 14-9 game.

Strmecki was 3-5 with a homer, two runs scored, two steals and three RBI to pace the Panthers. Woodring finished the contest 2-4 with a triple, two runs scored and two walks, while Carroll was 2-6 with three runs scored and a pair of steals. Goolsby had a hit and drove in four runs, while Hennings was hit by a pitch four different times in the game.

Alex Price (2-0) earned the win, allowing a run and two hits over 2.1 innings out of the bullpen. Jackson Atwood and Alex Rosario each threw two innings of scoreless relief.

Curci paced the Rensselaer effort by going 2-4 with a double, grand slam, three runs scored and five RBI. Austin Lawrence went 2-5 in the game with a double, homer and three runs driven in.

Jake Nichols (0-1), one of eight Engineer pitchers, suffered the loss, giving up three runs on three hits over one inning of work.