Middlebury rallied for five runs in the top of the seventh to erase a 10-5 deficit at Amherst (9-5, 7-5) on Sunday, but the hosts countered with the deciding score in the bottom of the frame for a wild 11-10 victory. The Panthers (4-10, 3-9) scored all 10 runs over the final four innings and pounded out a season-high 16 hits. Middlebury returns to action next weekend, hosting Hamilton for a doubleheader at 2:00 p.m.
The Mammoths open the scoring the home half of the first inning, as Jess Butler lofted a sacrifice fly to right field to score Rachel Lovejoy for a 1-0 lead. Lovejoy touched the plate again for the Mammoths in the team's next turn at bat, racing home on a passed ball for a 2-0 cushion.
The Panthers manufactured their first run in the fourth, as
Jen McGann walked, stole second and eventually scored on a single by
Sophia Marlino. One batter later,
Melanie Mandell laced a triple to center field, tying the contest at 2-2 with Marlino racing home from first base.
Amherst regained the lead in the bottom half of the inning, scoring five times for a 7-2 advantage. Maddie Procyk had the big hit for the hosts, belting a three-run homer to left field.
Middlebury countered with a big frame of its own in the fifth, thanks to a RBI double by McGann and two-run blast to left by
Noelle Ruschil.
Amherst added a single run in the fifth and Procyk lofted her second homer of the game one frame later for a 10-5 lead through six innings.
The Panthers battled back in the seventh, starting with a three-run double by Ruschil to right-center field to quickly trim the Mammoth lead to 10-8. Mandell made it a one-run difference with a single up the middle and a RBI ground out by
Tori Papaleo knotted the contest at 10-10.
The hosts won the game with a two-out single to center field by Alyson Plaman in their half of the inning, plating Lee for an unearned run and the 11-10 final.
Six different Middlebury batters had multiple-hit games, led by Mandell who went 3-4 with a triple and two RBI. Ruschil finished 2-5 and drove in five, while McGann went 2-2 and scored three times.
Chloe McNamara (1-5) suffered the loss for the Panthers in the circle, allowing five runs (four earned) in 4.2 innings.
For the hosts, Talia Bloxham (4-4) earned the win and collected three hits at the plate, while Lee went 4-5, scored twice and drove in a pair and Procyk hit a pair of homers with five RBI.
