Middlebury's John Collins hit home runs in three-straight innings, helping the Panthers (17-7, 5-1) to their 10th-straight victory as they handled visiting Amherst (9-15-1, 1-6) 16-0 on Friday in the opener of a three-game NESCAC West series. The teams conclude cap the weekend on Saturday with a noon doubleheader.

In the win, Collins set Middlebury's single-season record for home runs with nine, while the Panthers also established a new team record for round trippers in a season with 38. That topped the old mark of 37 (1998).

The game remained scoreless into the bottom of the fourth inning when Alec Ritch drilled a leadoff home run to left field that cleared the hedges. That hit extended Ritch's streak of reaching base safely to 20-straight contests. After a single by Andrew Ashley put another runner aboard, John Collins homered to dead-center field for a 3-0 advantage. Middlebury made it a four-run difference when Kyle McCausland raced home on a throwing error and Jack Stolper bumped the margin to 5-0 with a sacrifice fly to left field.

The Panthers added four additional runs in the fifth, starting with a two-run double down the line in right field by Ashley. Collins added his second home run of the day one batter later with another shot to center. The hosts used the long ball to extend the difference to 12-0, as Stolper connected with a three-run blast to right field.

The lead grew to 14-0 in the sixth on Collins' third home run of the contest, giving him the program's single-season mark. He also tied the single-game record for home runs, matching Erich Enns' big game in 2008.

Middlebury closed out the scoring in the seventh with two more tallies, as Ashley plated a pair of runners with a base hit to make the final 16-0.

Starter Alex Price (3-2) was sharp on the mound for the Panthers, scattering three hits over seven scoreless innings with nine strikeouts.

Middlebury pounded out 17 hits, with Collins, Beau Root, Ritch, Ashley and McCausland each finishing with three. Collins drove in six runs, while Ashley had four RBI.

Christian Fagnant, Chris Murphy and Luke Padian each had base hits for the Mammoths.

On the hill for Amherst, starter Sachin Nambiar (0-4) took the loss, allowing five runs on five hits over four innings of work.