The Middlebury softball team (11-7, 3-3) fell in game one by a 7-3 score against Williams (10-9, 1-2) on Sunday, but rebounded in the nightcap for a 10-4 victory. With Friday's 4-0 triumph over the Ephs, the Panthers claimed the NESCAC West series 2-1. In the second contest, Noelle Ruschil hit her eighth home run of the spring to set a single-season program record, erasing the previous mark of seven that was set in 2018. Middlebury returns to action on Friday when it starts a conference divisional series at Hamilton at 5:00 p.m.

In Sunday's opener, Williams jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the first when Mara Kipnis doubled to right and scored on a single down the right-field line by Bailey Burger-Moore. The visitors scored twice in the third when Alyana Granados doubled to right, plating Ronni Ramos and Sydney Fleming who both singled.

The Panthers cut into the deficit in the home half of the inning when Sophie Bolinger walked and scored on a groundout from Jordyn Johnson. The Ephs pushed the lead back to three (4-1) in the top of the fourth when Tayler Wise walked and touched home on a groundout by Burger-Moore.

Middlebury responded with a run of its own in the bottom of the frame, as Marlino reached on an error and raced home on a double to left center by Megan Fox.

The Ephs pushed their advantage to 7-2 in the top of the fifth, with the big hit coming off the bat of Kelly McGuigan who ripped a two-run double to left center.

The Panthers tallied their third run of the contest in the bottom of the seventh, as Bolinger was hit by a pitch and came all the way around to score on a base knock to left center by Tori Papaleo for the final 7-3 score.

Abby Santis, Nina Schroeder, Fox and Papaleo each had base hits for the Panthers, while Bolinger scored twice. Samantha Hausman (4-3) took the loss in the circle for Middlebury, allowing three runs on nine hits with a pair of strikeouts over 5.1 innings of work.

Kipnis, Ramos, Fleming and Rachel Neugart were each 2-4 with a run scored, while McGuigan, Burger-Moore and Granados all drove in a pair. Elyse Chan (3-2) picked up the complete-game victory, allowing three runs on six hits with six strikeouts.

The Panthers struck for a pair of runs in the bottom of the first during the nightcap. Ruschil walked and Bolinger had an infield single. One batter later, Schroeder singled to right field, driving in Ruschil while Bolinger scampered home on an error by the right fielder.

The Ephs cut into the Middlebury lead when Wise induced a bases-loaded walk in the top of the second.

The Panthers broke the game open with four runs in the second and three more in the third. In the second, Jen McGann walked and Papaleo singled, both scoring on a three-run homer by Santis to left center. Two pitches later, Ruschil blasted her NESCAC-leading eighth roundtripper of the spring just feet to the right of Santis' hit.

In the third, Schroeder walked and McGann singled to right center, as Johnson brought home Schroeder with a base hit to right for a 7-1 lead. Santis smacked an infield hit to second base, plating McGann and Johnson who never stopped running from second base for a 9-1 edge.
 
The Ephs scored twice in the fifth, as Kipnis started the inning with a homer to left and Ramos tallied a run-scoring double to left center.

Middlebury posted its 10th tally in the bottom of the stanza, as McGann singled up the middle, moved to second on a walk by Papaleo and scored on a groundout to shortstop by Santis.

Williams made the score 10-4 in the sixth, as Kipnis singled through the left side, scoring pinch runner Lauren Haywood for the final six-run difference.   

Santis led the Panthers at the plate, going 2-4 with a career-high six RBI. McGann was 2-2 with a walk and scored three times, while Ruschil went 1-2 with a pair of base on balls and a run scored. Jewel Ashbrook (6-3) earned the win for the Panthers with her second complete game of the series. She surrendered four runs (three earned) on nine hits with three strikeouts. 

Kipnis (2-4) and Fleming (2-4) each had multi-hit games for the Ephs, while Kipnis had two RBI and Fleming touched home plate twice. Maya Hartman (3-3) suffered the loss, giving up nine runs (eight earned) on seven hits over 2.2 innings.