The Middlebury softball team downed Amherst 9-1 in five innings during the day's opening game and put together a come-from-behind rally in the seventh inning of the nightcap to defeat the Mammoths 6-5. 
 
GAME 1 HIGHLIGHTS

• The Panthers scored twice to take an early lead in the top of the first inning. Kristyn Carroll and Cate Viola each drew a walk, before scoring on a miscue in left field off the bat of Nina Schroeder for a 2-0 advantage.
• Amherst sliced the deficit to one (2-1) in the bottom of the frame. Annalise Knop led off with a base hit through the left side, eventually touching home plate when Sadie Pool was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded.
• Schroeder gave Middlebury its two-run edge in the third, ripping a single down the right-field line to plate McKenna Lont who singled to left.
• The Panthers exploded with six runs in the top of the fifth, taking advantage of several Amherst miscues. Olivia Scholes, Jennifer Westphal and Lont each drew walks with the bases loaded to push across runners, while Marina Lyon scored on a wild pitch and Megan Fox reached on an error that saw Cece Ziegler and Westphal race home for the final 9-1 score.

GAME 2 HIGHLIGHTS

• The visitors opened the scoring with a pair of runs in the third. Ziegler walked and scampered around to score on a double from Lont to right center. Viola followed with a run-scoring two-base hit to plate Lont for a 2-0 edge.
• Amherst answered with four runs of its own in the bottom of the inning, including a three-run triple by Randi Finkelstein for a 4-2 lead.
• The Mammoths increased their lead to 5-2 in the fourth, as Olivia Aitkin singled and later raced home on a base hit to left center from Finkelstein. 
• Middlebury pulled within two (5-3) when Fox lifted a sacrifice fly to left to drive in Carroll who reached on an infield single.
• Down to their final three outs, the Panthers scored a trio of tallies in the seventh. Lont roped a run-scoring double down the line in left to bring in Ziegler, while Fox reached on a base hit to third to push across Carroll to tie the contest at 5-5. Viola provided the game-winning hit, ripping a single up the middle to drive in Lont from third for a 6-5 advantage.
• Lont came on in relief to start the seventh and picked up the save, sending the Mammoths down in order to secure the thrilling 6-5 triumph.

NOTES

• The save was Lont's first of her career. She also hurled a complete-game win in the opener, improving to 10-3 for the season. Lont allowed a run on five hits to earn the victory. She also went a combined 3-for-7 at the plate with three doubles, scored three runs and drove in three during the sweep.
• Carroll stole three bases in the doubleheader, moving her into second place in the career record books with 32. She also drew a walk, giving her 19 for the spring, while propelling her into a fourth-place tie among the single-season ranks. 
• The 10 NESCAC wins mark the most since the program posted 10 triumphs during the 2013 season.
• The two schools played for the 59th and 60th times, as Middlebury has won five of the last six meetings. 

The Panthers return to action on Wednesday when they host Union for a twinbill slated to start at 3:30 p.m.