The Middlebury softball team capped the non-conference portion of its season on Wednesday with a doubleheader sweep against Union. The Panthers posted a 4-2 win in the opener and scored seven runs in the first four innings of the nightcap to earn a 9-5 victory. During the triumphs, Kristyn Carroll became the program's career leader in stolen bases with 34.
 
GAME 1 HIGHLIGHTS

• The hosts scored a run in the bottom of the first inning. Carroll walked, promptly stole second and moved to third on a flyout before scampering home on a wild pitch.
• Union tied the contest with a tally in the second. Maddy Ewald singled through the left side, advanced to second on a base hit by Sophia Gomes and raced home on a base knock by Melody Kappel for a 1-1 score.
• Middlebury regained the lead in the bottom half when Carroll ripped a groundout to second which plated Skylar Wong for a 2-1 edge.
• The Panthers pushed across another run an inning later. Megan Fox walked and Marina Lyon was inserted as a pinch runner.  The senior touched home on a single to center from Kelley Dever for a 3-1 advantage.
• Union sliced the deficit to one (3-2) in the fifth on a run-scoring double down the line in right to plate Riley Callahan who drew a walk.
• Middlebury answered with a tally of their own, as Samantha Hausman roped a two-base hit that clipped the right-field line. She came around to score on a base knock to left by Dever for a 4-2 lead.
• Hausman recorded the final six outs to earn the save and secure the 4-2 win.

GAME 2 HIGHLIGHTS

• Middlebury loaded the bases in the bottom of the first frame, but Kappel induced a groundout to get out of the jam.
• The Garnet Chargers grabbed a 2-0 advantage in the second. Gomes and Kappel both walked and were pushed to second and third on a sacrifice bunt. The pair scurried home on a hard-hit single to shortstop by Sophia Burynski.
• With two outs in the second, Cece Ziegler legged out a triple to right-center field. Carroll was intentionally walked and McKenna Lont drew a base on balls to pack the bases. Fox brought all three home on a two-base knock to left center for a 3-2 edge.
• The Panthers put together a two-run rally in the third, scoring on an RBI single by Wong and a fielder's choice off the bat of Lont to make it 5-2.
• Union answered with a tally in the fourth on an RBI single by Nahnny Sobetzko.
• The Panthers continued to extend their advantage with a pair in the home half, as Nina Schroeder and Hausman both raced home on a wild pitch for a 7-3 lead.
• Middlebury added two runs in the sixth on a double to left center by Jennifer Westphal, while the Garnet Chargers tallied a pair in the seventh for the 9-5 final score.

NOTES

• Carroll is a perfect 28-for-28 in stolen-base attempts this season, as that total ranks second in the NESCAC. She has also drawn 23 walks which is tied for second in the program's single-season history.
• Dever went a combined 5-for-7 at the plate in the two triumphs with a pair of RBI.
• Fox's three-run double in the second contest gave her 94 career runs batted in, moving her into fourth place in the program's record books.
• Hausman's save in the opener was her team-best third this season.

The Panthers close out the regular-season portion of their schedule on Saturday with a twinbill against Hamilton. The first pitch is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. and will also serve as the program's Senior Day.