The Middlebury baseball team used its potent offense to continue its push through the NESCAC Tournament, as the Panthers (28-11) held off Colby 16-14 on Saturday at Trinity. Middlebury, the only unbeaten team left in the tournament, will play again on Sunday at 10:30 a.m. against either the Mules (24-12) or Hamilton.

This marks the second time in the last three tournaments held that Middlebury has played for the title. If Middlebury wins tomorrow morning, the team will claim the program's second NESCAC Championship (2006) and an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. If the Panthers falter in that game, a winner-take-all contest will be played in the afternoon.

Middlebury has been producing big offensive numbers all season, as Saturday's game marked the 17th time this spring it has reached double figures in runs. Through two games this weekend, the Panthers have scored 30 times.

Middlebury didn't waste any time taking the lead, scoring a run in the top of the first. Beau Root drew a leadoff walk and eventually touched the plate on a sacrifice fly by John Collins. The Mules tied the game at 1-1 in the home half of the frame, as Drew Miller produced an RBI single.

In the third, the Panthers expanded the advantage with a four-run inning with each tally coming with two outs. Alec Ritch cranked his eighth home run of the season to left-center field, before Nathan Samii's infield single plated Collins. Andrew Ashley made it a 5-1 contest with a two-run single up the middle.

After Colby trimmed the deficit to 5-2 with a tally in the bottom of the frame, Middlebury's offense kept producing in the fourth. Root laced a two-run single to center field and later scored on a wild pitch for an 8-2 advantage.

The Mules sandwiched a pair of two-run innings in the fourth and fifth innings around a long solo home run by Middlebury's Chris Borter for a 9-6 score through five frames.
For the second time in the game. Root crossed home plate on a wild pitch, putting the Panther lead at 10-6 in the sixth.

Ritch came through with an RBI single in the top of the eighth, but the Mules battled back with three runs in the home half to close the difference to 11-9.

In the final frame, the Panthers sent nine batters to the plate and had their biggest inning with five runs. Borter started things with a sharp single over the Colby shortstop to drive in two runs, while Root plated another with a base hit. Ritch capped the inning by driving in a pair with a double.

Colby tried to make another comeback in its final at-bat, starting with a ground-rule double by Jackson Roloff that brought home two runners. Matthew Panker followed with a two-run triple to close the gap to 16-13. After a single by Patrick McConnell made it a two-run game, Middlebury's Andrew Gatland recorded the final out for his first save of the season.

Borter finished the game 3-5 with a home run and three RBI for the Panthers, while Root went 2-3 with three walks, three RBI and four runs. Ritch was 3-6 with four RBI and a stolen base. With his steal, he tied Justin Han ('17-'20) for the career mark (57), while climbing into second place on the single-season RBI list with 47. Ritch (4-0) also got the win on the mound, allowing five earned runs on nine hits over five innings.

For the Mules, Panker had a big day at the plate going 4-5 with four RBI and scoring twice. Elijah Cohen (1-2) yielded nine runs on nine hits in taking the loss.

Middlebury continued to rewrite the program record book, setting a new mark for at-bats in a season (1,359) and tying the record for games played (39).