The Middlebury softball team overcame a late three-run deficit, but Amherst pulled out a 5-4 victory in eight innings on Friday in the NESCAC West opener for both teams. The Panthers (6-5, 0-1) and Mammoths (9-2, 1-0) conclude their three-game series on Saturday with a noon doubleheader.
Pitching dominated the early stages of the game, as Middlebury's Jewel Ashbrook and Amherst's Dani Torres Werra were engaged in a scoreless duel for the first couple of innings. Ashbrook benefited from a sparkling defensive play in the second frame, as center fielder Jen McGann made a diving catch to rob America Rangel of a base hit with a runner on base.
The Mammoths broke the deadlock in the bottom of the third frame, scoring three times. Autumn Lee drove in the first run with a base hit, while Jess Butler singled up the middle to plate the other two for a 3-0 lead.
In the top of the sixth, the Panthers got a pair of runners aboard with back-to-back singles by Jordyn Johnson and McGann. Noelle Ruschil tied the game with one swing of the bat, drilling a three-run homer to left center. It was her conference-leading fourth of the season and already puts her in a tie for fifth on the program's single-season list.
The Panthers came right back to plate the go-ahead run in the top of the seventh on a single by Nina Schroeder. After a sacrifice bunt by Sophia Marlino moved pinch-runner Lizzie Hannafey to second, Megan Fox belted a double into the gap in left-center field for a 4-3 Middlebury lead.
The hosts tied the game in the home half of the stanza, as Lee collected a base hit to right field to score Megan Taketa for the 4-4 tie and force extra innings.
Middlebury threatened with a couple of hits in the top of the eighth frame, but the Mammoths posted their third-straight walk-off win on an infield single by Taketa for the 5-4 victory.
Ruschil led the Panthers at the plate going 2-3 with a home run, three RBI and a walk, while Fox doubled and drove in a run. McGann added a single to extend her hitting streak to 10 games.
Ashbrook (3-2) battled for 7.2 innings, allowing four earned runs with six strikeouts.
Taketa paced Amherst with three hits, two runs and an RBI, while Audrey Orlowsky (3-1) tossed two innings of relief to earn the win in the circle.
