The Middlebury softball team (19-9) capped the regular season with a pair of victories over Union on Sunday. Sophie Bolinger blasted a walk-off single in the first game as the Panthers edged the Dutchwomen 4-3, before Middlebury ran past Union 8-2 in the nightcap. 
 
The Panthers travel to Tufts next weekend and will play Colby in a NESCAC Quarterfinal contest at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, while the Dutchwomen concluded their season today with a 19-13 record.
 
In Sunday's first game, Middlebury's Jordyn Johnson led off the contest with a single to left field, stole second and raced home when Noelle Ruschil blasted a base hit to right for the 1-0 edge . Jen McGann reached on a fielder's choice and advanced to second, but Union worked out of the jam leaving Panthers stranded on second and third. 
 
The hosts increased their advantage to 3-0 in the next at-bat. Adriana Santiago-Lucena singled up the middle and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Nina Schroeder. Sophia Marlino blasted a triple to right field to bring in Santiago, before touching home herself on a passed ball. 
 
Union got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the third. Kasey Walsh walked, advanced to second on a wild pitch, stole third and touched home on a base hit by Tara Hartnett to make it 3-1.
 
The Dutchwomen cut the deficit to one (3-2) in the top of the fifth. Tatum Perkins singled to center, stole second and later scampered home on a Panther throwing error. Union threatened with runners on the corners later in the frame, but Middlebury recorded the final out to maintain a one-run edge.
 
The Dutchwomen carried that momentum into the sixth, as Rochelle Nuqui scored on a groundout to knot the contest 3–3.
 
With two outs on the board in the bottom of the seventh, Santis singled up the middle and McGann ripped a base hit to center. Bolinger blasted a walk-off single up the middle to bring home Santis for the 4-3 final.
 
Samantha Hausman earned the win in relief for the Panthers, not allowing a hit while striking out two over the final 1.2 innings. Riley Callahan suffered the loss in the circle, allowing one run on three hits. 
 
Marlino went 2-3 at the plate with one run scored, an RBI, a double and a triple. Santiago-Lucena was 2-3 at the plate, while Johnson had one run on one hit for Middlebury. 
 
In the second game of the day, the Dutchwomen wasted little time getting on the board. Hartnett reached on an error, advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt and touched home on a single down the right-field line by Karson Saunders. Saunders stole second, advanced to third on a ground out and scampered home on a wild pitch for the early 2-0 edge.
 
Middlebury quickly cut the deficit in half when Santis laced a triple to right field to drive in Ruschil who walked. A play later, Santis crossed home plate on a single down the left-field line by Megan Fox, tying the contest at 2-2. 
 
Schroeder, Tori Papaleo and Marlino singled for the hosts to load the bases in the bottom of the second. Schroeder was thrown out at home on a fielder's choice, but Ruschil blasted a double to left field to drive in Marlino and Papaleo. Johnson touched home on a sacrifice fly by Santis for the 5-2 cushion. 
 
In the bottom of the fourth, Ruschil blasted a three-run homer to center field for the 8-2 final. The home run was her NESCAC-leading 14th of the season. 
 
Middlebury's Jewel Ashbrook tossed her 10th complete game (11-3) of the season, allowing just two runs on a pair of hits while striking out five. Amanda Granato took the loss for Union.
 
Ruschil paced the Panthers at the plate, going 2-3 with a pair of runs scored, a double, a homer and five RBI. The home run pushed Middlebury's single-season program record to 28. Santis had one run on one hit with two runs batted in and a triple, while McGann had a pair of hits and a double. 
 
Saunders led the Dutchwomen with one run on one hit and an RBI.