The Middlebury baseball team erased an 8-5 deficit in the top of the ninth inning, coming from behind to win the 2022 NESCAC Championship with a 12-8 triumph over Hamilton. The program's second conference crown came down to the seventh game of the weekend, as the Panthers dropped Sunday's first contest 17-3 to the Continentals. Middlebury improves to 29-12 and receives the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. The Panthers will wait for their opponent when the field is announced Monday afternoon, while Hamilton (21-17) hopes to earn an at-large bid to the tournament.

The Continentals grabbed a 2-0 lead in the first inning of the morning contest on a two-run single up the middle by Jack Herlihy. Hamilton increased the advantage to six (6-0) in the next frame, as a run-scoring base hit by Ethan Harrast, a two-run triple off the base of the right-field wall and an RBI groundout from Herlihy provided the offense.

Middlebury cut the deficit to 6-1 when Jack Stolper led off the bottom half of the inning with a double to left center, eventually touching home on a groundout from Andrew Ashley.

Hamilton made it a 7-1 contest in the seventh when Brady Slinger reached on a bunt single and later raced home on a Panther miscue during a pickoff throw to first base. The Panthers responded with a run of their own, as Chris Borter started the home half with his fourth home run of the season and second in the last two games.

The Continentals tacked on seven runs in the eighth, including a pair of two-run doubles from Phil Bernstein and Shane Dux, and three more tallies in the ninth for a 17-2 lead. Middlebury tacked on a run in the ninth, as Nathan Samii ripped his first career triple to right center and scored on a sacrifice fly by Ashley for the final 17-3 score.

Stolper went 2-4 with a double and a run scored, while Samii was 2-3 with a double, triple, a walk and a run scored. Alec Ritch drew a base on balls to start the fourth inning and stole second, giving him 40 for the season and 58 for his career. Ritch becomes the program's career stolen base leader, surpassing Justin Han's total of 57. Alex Rosario took the loss on the mound, giving up six runs on six hits in two innings.

Harrast (3-6), Slinger (3-5) and Jackson Sattinger (3-6) each had three hits for Hamilton, while Slinger scored five runs and drove in a pair. Herlihy had three RBI, while five others all had two. Peter Jones earned the victory in the first game, allowing just one run on five hits with three strikeouts in six frames.

Middlebury was the visitor in game two, grabbing an early lead in the first inning as Root, Stolper and Samii each induced a walk to load the bases. Borter legged out an infield single with two outs to shortstop, driving in Root with the game's initial run.

Hamilton tied the contest at 1-1 in the bottom of the second as Herlihy walked and eventually came home to score on a Panther fielding error.

Middlebury regained the lead in the third when John Collins blasted his NESCAC-leading 13th homer over the left-field wall. The Panthers added two runs in the fourth, as Lucas Flemming doubled to left and made it a 3-1 contest on a fielder's choice off the bat of Zip Malley. Collins pushed it to 4-1 when he was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to bring in Malley.

Middlebury scraped across another run in the fifth with a two-out rally. Flemming beat out an infield single and moved to second on a bunt base hit from Ashley, before Flemming scored on a single through the left side from Malley to make it 5-1.

Hamilton sliced the Panther advantage to a pair at 5-3 in the bottom of the inning, as Bernstein lofted a two-run homer to left center. The Continentals continued to ride the wave of momentum, plating five runs on six hits in the sixth for an 8-5 advantage. Adam Wijaya had a two-run single through the left side to highlight the rally.

Middlebury began its dramatic comeback victory in the top of the ninth. Collins singled through the right side and scored on a sac fly by Borter. Stolper was hit by a pitch, stole second and cut the deficit to one (8-7) when Flemming tripled down the right-field line. Ashley blooped a single to center, scoring Flemming with the tying run, while Root made it a 9-8 contest with a single up the middle to drive in Ashley. Ritch capped the thrilling inning with a three-run homer, his ninth of the season, over the left-field wall for a 12-8 lead. The three RBI gives Ritch 50 for the season, breaking the program's single-season mark of 49.

George Goldstein, who came on to pitch in relief in the eighth inning, gave up a single to start the ninth, but the Panthers recorded two outs at second base to put the triumph within reach. Goldstein struck out the final batter and the Middlebury dugout stormed the field to celebrate the historic win.

Sunday's appearance by Goldstein gives him 49 as a Panther, tying the program's record for career appearances. He picked up the win on the mound, allowing just the one hit in two innings to improve to 4-1.

Flemming went 3-5 with a double, a triple and scored three runs in the second game, while Malley was 2-5 with a pair of RBI and touched home plate twice. Root had two hits in five at-bats, scored twice and swiped three bases.

The Panthers eclipsed a pair of team single-season records on Sunday. Middlebury collected 13 hits in the second game, giving the team 482 for the season. The previous mark of 478 came during the 2006 campaign, which was the season the Panthers captured the program's initial conference title. The team also played its 40th and 41st games of the 2022 season on Sunday, setting a single-season record to surpass the 2006 and 2019 teams who had 39.

Dux led the Continentals with three hits in five plate appearances with a double and a run scored, while Bernstein, Gavin Schaefer-Hood and Wijaya each had two RBI. Jack Clougherty (2-2) was saddled with the loss, allowing four runs on four hits while recording just two outs.