The Middlebury softball team edged Skidmore 2-1 in the opening game of the series, before triumphing 10-2 in the nightcap to sweep the doubleheader.
 
GAME 1 HIGHLIGHTS

• Kristyn Carroll got things going in the bottom of the first to give the Panthers a 1-0 edge. Carroll walked, stole second, advanced to third on a groundout by Cate Viola and later crossed the plate on a single through the left side by Jennifer Westphal.
• The Thoroughbreds knotted the contest in the fourth inning. Madison Bonham doubled to center field before being replaced by pinch runner Sam Waters. Natalie Mayne followed with a blast up the middle to drive in Waters and make it 1-1.
• Middlebury took a 2-1 edge in the bottom of the fifth. Olivia Fleming singled to center field and Samantha Hausman sent a base knock up the middle to put two runners on. After a fielder's choice by Carroll, Fleming scampered home on a Skidmore miscue to grab the lead.
• Emily Ye came to the circle in relief at the top of the sixth, forcing consecutive strikeouts with runners on first and second to get out of the jam. 
• Ye sealed the game in the seventh with two groundouts and a strikeout to clinch the 2-1 triumph. 

GAME 2 HIGHLIGHTS

• Madi Gambino led off the second contest with a single to left field and raced to second on an error. The Thoroughbred touched home when Bonham doubled to left field, before Bonham swiped the plate on a two-base knock down the right-field line for the 2-0 lead.
• The Panthers got both runs back in their half of the inning. Carroll led off with a single to right, and Viola blasted a hit through the left side. A throwing error allowed a speedy Carroll to touch home and send Viola to second. Olivia Scholes followed up with a single through the left gap, and another error put runners on second and third. Westphal's sacrifice fly to center brought Viola across the plate to tie the game at 2-2. 
• Skidmore threatened in the second inning. Claire Stone led off with a triple to left, and a pair of walks loaded the bases with two outs. Pitcher McKenna Lont was able to work out of the jam, recording the final out to keep the Thoroughbreds off the board.
• In the bottom of the fifth, Hausman pinch hit and used a sacrifice bunt to advance Caitlin Stanley, who opened the inning with a single. Carroll stepped up to the plate and blasted a triple to deep left center to drive in Stanley for the 3-2 advantage.
• The Panthers broke the game open in the sixth inning, tallying seven runs on five hits highlighted by a two-run double from Schultz to get things going. Scholes enforced the mercy rule with a base knock to deep right, plating Kelley Dever for the 10-3 triumph.  

NOTES

• Ye earned her second save of the season in the opening game.
• Westphal went 2-3 with one RBI in the opener.
• Scholes was 3-for-4 with an RBI and Schlutz was 2-for-3 with a pair of runs batted in in the nightcap.

Middlebury remains home, hosting Amherst in twinbill action on Saturday beginning at 1:00 p.m. The Panthers will also honor their three seniors (Hausman, Abigail Jankowski and Nina Schroeder) before the game.