The Middlebury softball team split a pair of games during Monday's play at THE Spring Games. The Panthers dropped their first game of the season, a 7-2 decision to Hope in the day's first contest, but utilized a big second inning against Kalamazoo for a 9-6 victory.
 
HIGHLIGHTS VS. HOPE

• Trailing 3-0 after two innings, Middlebury cut the lead to one (3-2) with a pair of runs in the top of the third. Lizzie Hannafey led off the frame with a single and moved to second on a base hit from Jordyn Johnson. Hannafey raced around to touch home for the first run on a hit from Abby Santis, while Johnson scampered home on a single by Kristyn Carroll. 
• The Dutchwomen responded with four runs in the bottom of the fifth, including a three-run homer from Sydney Zombo, for a 7-2 advantage.
• The Panthers tried to put together a rally in their final two frames, but Hope pitcher Alaina Adams worked around a leadoff walk to Megan Fox in the sixth and an Abigail Jankowski base knock in the seventh for the 7-2 final score.

HIGHLIGHTS VS. KALAMAZOO

• The Hornets moved out to a 2-0 edge in the first inning on a two-run homer by Sam Moss.
• Middlebury responded with six runs on seven hits in the bottom of the second for a 6-2 lead. Cece Ziegler, Adriana Santiago-Lucena, Hannafey, McKenna Lont and Santis all had RBI singles in the rally, while Hannafey scored on a wild pitch.
• Kalamazoo recorded an unearned run in the top of the third, before a run-scoring double to left field from Middlebury's Tori Papaleo scored Ziegler who rolled a single through the left side for a 7-3 tally.
• The Hornets pulled to within one (7-6) in the top of the fourth, but Panther pitcher Caitlin Viola posted a strikeout with a runner on third to maintain the one-run lead.
• Middlebury gained some breathing room in the home half of the fifth, as Fox blasted her team-leading second homer of the season over the left-center field wall to bring home Carroll for a 9-6 edge.
• Carroll set down the Kalamazoo lineup in order in the sixth, and Fox threw out Emma Newlove on a steal attempt at second to end the contest in favor of the Panthers 9-6.

NOTES

• Carroll earned her second win in the circle in as many days, allowing just two hits while striking out a pair over the final three innings against Kalamazoo. She also had a double, RBI and scored twice at the plate.
• Fox's two runs batted in during the victory give her a team-best 12.
• The contest with Hope was the first meeting between the schools, while Middlebury leveled the all-time series at 2-2 with Kalamazoo.

The Panthers continue action at THE Spring Games with contests on Tuesday against Carleton and Manchester.