The Middlebury softball team (10-6, 2-2) defeated Williams (9-8, 0-1) by a 4-0 score on Friday behind a 109-pitch complete-game shutout from Jewel Ashbrook in the opener of a three-game NESCAC West home series. The two teams return to the diamond on Saturday for a doubleheader starting at 12:00 p.m.

Nina Schroeder started things off in the second, reaching on an error. She moved to second base on a single off the bat of Sophie Bolinger and scored on a hit to left-center field by Tori Papaleo for a 1-0 Panther lead.

Middlebury added two runs in the fourth, as Sophia Marlino led off with a double to left center. She scampered to third on a base knock from Bolinger to right center. Bolinger stole second base, putting runners on second and third with nobody out. Eph starting pitcher Madison Mok recorded the next two outs, before Marlino raced home on a wild pitch for a 2-0 advantage. The Panther lead grew to three (3-0) on a run-scoring single through the left side by Abby Santis.

The hosts tacked on their fourth run of the contest, as Noelle Ruschil blasted her conference-leading seventh home run of the season in the fifth inning that cleared the center-field scoreboard. Ruschil's seventh homer of the spring ties her for the Panther single-season record.

The Ephs threatened in the sixth when Sydney Fleming walked and Lauren Haywood singled to right, putting runners on first and second with two outs. Ashbrook worked out of the jam, striking out pinch-hitter Kaia Glickman to end the inning.

In the seventh, Ashbrook worked around a two-out walk to improve to 5-3 for the year and logged her fourth complete game. She allowed just six hits, all singles, and never allowed an Eph runner to reach third base, striking out a career-high eight batters. 

Ruschil went 2-3 at the plate for Middlebury with a homer and a walk, giving her 11 multi-hit games this season. The blast was the 12th of Ruschil's career, moving her into third place in the Panther laurels. Bolinger also had two hits in three at-bats and scored a run. 

Tayler Wise was 3-4 for Williams in the leadoff spot. Mok fell to 3-1 in the circle, giving up 10 hits and four runs (three earned) over six innings.