The Middlebury baseball team claimed each of its three games in the double-elimination NESCAC Tournament to hoist the league's trophy for the second-straight year. The Panthers outlasted Trinity 5-4 on Friday, and topped Williams 7-1 on Saturday, followed by a 10-6 triumph on Sunday to claim the crown.
 
HIGHLIGHTS

• The Ephs took a 1-0 edge in the top of the second when a sacrifice fly by Oliver Rey scored Luca Lopetrone who reached on a single.
• Middlebury responded in its half of the inning. Brayden Mathews drew a base on balls to bring home Joe Basso, before Will Ashley touched the plate on a groundout by Carter Chi for the 2-1 lead.
• In Williams' next at-bat, Ben Swank led off with a double, before back-to-back homers from Marcus Burrell II and Henry Juan gave the Ephs a 4-2 edge. Later in the inning, Lopetrone crossed home on a triple from Ryan Nakajima, before Nakajima scored on a passed ball for the 6-2 advantage.
• The Panthers cut the deficit to 6-4 in the bottom of the fifth. Ashley belted a double to left center to drive in Nathan Samii, before Ben Slaughter touched home on a sac fly by Mathews. 
• Middlebury regained the lead two innings later. Chi blasted a grand slam to clear the bases, and Kyle McCausland followed two batters later with a two-run homer for the 10-6 advantage. 
• The Ephs brought in a pinch hitter to start the ninth, but the Panthers recorded three-straight outs to secure the 10-6 win.

NOTES

• The Panthers improve to 27-11, tying for the third-most wins in a season with the 2023 squad.
• Samii was 3-for-5 at the plate with one run, while Chi had five RBI.
• Dylan Knightly improved to 5-0 on the mound, striking out two over the final three innings.
• Middlebury claimed its fourth NESCAC Championship and third in the last four seasons.

The Panthers earn the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament and await their bracket selection when the field is announced on Monday, May 12.