The Middlebury softball team earned a 10-2 victory in five innings over Salem State and followed it with a 5-3 triumph against Nazareth during THE Spring Games in Clermont, Florida. The Panther offense tallied 22 hits over the two victories. 

HIGHLIGHTS VS SALEM STATE

• Middlebury opened the scoring in the bottom of the first inning. Jennifer Westphal plated Kristyn Carroll on a sacrifice fly to center field, followed by an RBI single from McKenna Lont for a 2-0 edge.
• The Panthers doubled their lead in the next frame with a run-scoring groundout from Olivia Scholes and a wild pitch that scored Carroll to make it 4-0.
• Salem State made it a 4-1 contest in the top of the third, as Isabella Perrotti crossed home plate on a Middlebury miscue.
• Kelley Dever pushed across the fifth run in the home half with an RBI groundout for a 5-1 score.
• The Panthers added two more tallies in the fourth. Olivia Schultz smacked an RBI single through the right side and Uma Corcoran crossed home on a Viking miscue for a 7-1 contest.
• Salem State cut the score to 7-2 in the fifth, as Tara Perryman hit a single down the right-field line to score Allison Frost.
• Middlebury capped the scoring with an RBI single from Cate Viola and a base hit up the middle by Schultz that brought home Scholes and Viola for the 10-2 win.

HIGHLIGHTS VS NAZARETH

• The Panthers tallied the first four runs of the contest, highlighted by an RBI single through the right side from Schultz and a double from Corcoran, for a 4-0 lead.
• Nazareth cut into the deficit in the bottom of the third. Morgan Russo started the inning with a triple and came around to score on a bunt base knock by Julia Maciag to make the score 4-1. Maciag crossed the plate a batter later on a Panther miscue for a 4-2 ballgame.
• The Golden Flyers looked to continue the rally, but pitcher Abigail Jankowski induced a double play and a groundout to maintain the two-run advantage.
• Middlebury threatened to extend its lead in the fifth, loading the bases with two outs. Madison Hicks pitched out of the jam, forcing a flyout to right field.
• Nazareth put two runners on the base paths in the bottom half via a single from Kaijah Alexander and a hit batter with one out. Jankowski stood tall, recording back-to-back groundouts to preserve the Panther advantage.
• Middlebury added another run in the sixth on a sacrifice fly by Viola to make it 5-2.
• The Golden Flyers plated a single tally with a sacrifice fly by Knapp but could not get any closer as the Panthers secured the 5-3 victory.

NOTES

• Carroll and Scholes led the offensive charge in game one with three hits apiece. Carroll also scored her 100th career run against Nazareth.
• Schultz racked up a career-high three RBI against the Vikings.
• Samantha Hausman and Emily Ye earned victories in the circle for the Panthers.
• Middlebury battled Salem State and Nazareth for the first time in the sport of softball.

The Panthers return to the diamond Friday for their final two games in Florida. Middlebury challenges Wellesley at 9:00 a.m. before closing its spring break trip against Plattsburgh State at 11:15 a.m.