The Middlebury baseball team (19-8) scored in each of the last six innings and held off a ninth-inning rally by Skidmore (22-8-1) Tuesday for a 16-14 victory at Forbes Field. George Goldstein became the program's career saves leader in the win as the Panthers improved to 12-1 at home. Middlebury returns to action on Wednesday, traveling to Hamilton to play a single game at 4:00 p.m.

Skidmore scored a pair of runs in the top of the third when Anthony Mollica and Brendan O'Neill both walked and scored on a Middlebury error and an RBI groundout by Max Mello. The Panthers answered in the bottom of the inning, as Zip Malley led off with a triple to left field and Beau Root followed with a walk. Malley scored on a sacrifice fly by Alec Ritch, while Root stole second base and touched home on a single to left from John Collins.

Middlebury took a 3-2 edge in the fourth when Andrew Ashley doubled down the right-field line, moved to third on a flyout and scored on a Thoroughbred throwing error.

Skidmore tied the game (3-3) with a single tally in the fifth, as Mollica walked and eventually scored on an infield hit off the bat of Danny Melillo. Middlebury regained the lead in the home half of the inning on an RBI groundout by Chris Borter. Ashley walked, promptly stole second and third, and raced home on a throwing error by the catcher for a 5-3 edge.

The Panthers exploded for six runs on just two hits in the sixth. The inning was highlighted by a two-run single off the bat of Root, while Malley and Ritch were both hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to drive in a run and help the Panthers gain an 11-3 advantage.

The Thoroughbreds answered with five runs in the top of the seventh. Jackson Hornung lifted a two-run home run to left center, while Jaden Torrado smacked a three-run double to right center to bring the visitors to within three (11-8).

Middlebury increased its lead to six (14-8) with three runs in the bottom of the inning, including a run-scoring double to left center by Malley and an RBI single from Root.

Mello reached on a two-out single for Skidmore in the eighth, moved up on a wild pitch and scored on a single through the left side by Nathan Wagner to cut the deficit to five (14-9).

The Panthers tacked on two more runs in the bottom of the eighth. Ritch started things with a walk, stole second and third, and scored on an overthrow by the catcher. Collins followed with a base on balls, advanced to second on a groundout, stole third and scored on a throwing miscue for a 16-9 lead.

The visitors rallied for five runs on five hits in the ninth inning, but Goldstein came on and recorded the final out with the bases loaded for the 16-14 victory.

Root was 3-5 with three RBI to pace the Panthers at the plate, while Malley went 2-3 with a double and a triple, two RBI and scored three times. Collins was 2-4 and touched home three times, while Kyle McCausland had a double and a triple in six at-bats, while scoring two runs. As a team, the Panthers hit three triples during the victory, setting a single-season record with 18. That mark erases the previous team mark of 16 set during both the 2006 and 2019 seasons.

Ritch has now reached base safely in 23-straight games, while Schroeder ran his hitting streak to 14 in the win.
 
Henry Gustavson (2-1) picked up the win in relief for Middlebury, allowing six runs (two earned) on five hits in three innings. Goldstein tallied his third save of the season and the ninth of his career.

Five Skidmore batters had multi-hit games, paced by Hornung going 2-6 with a homer, three RBI and two runs scored. Torrado went 2-6 and drove in three runs, while Mollica touched home three times. Sam Kornet (0-1) took the loss, allowing three runs (two earned) on four hits in two innings.