The Middlebury softball team used complete-game efforts from McKenna Lont and Emily Dowd to sweep Tuesday's doubleheader against St. Lawrence. The Panthers tallied a 1-0 win in the opener before a 6-1 victory closed the two-game slate.

GAME 1 HIGHLIGHTS

• The Saints looked to get on the board in the top of the second inning, loading the bases with one out. Lont stood tall in the circle, drawing a fielder's choice to the shortstop and a swinging strikeout to get out of the jam.
• Lont drew a leadoff walk during the bottom of the fifth and used a sacrifice bunt from Reagan Adiletta and a groundout to first to advance to third base. St. Lawrence pitcher Marleigh Monroe worked a groundout to stop the scoring opportunity.
• Abby Gallas led off the final frame with a double to left center. Pinch runner Zoe Davenport moved to third on a sacrifice bunt from Emily Wendt, but Lont stayed the course, getting Davenport out with a fielder's choice to third before a perfectly-placed throw from Jen Westphal to second base for a caught stealing.
• After Lont blasted a two-bagger to right center field, Adiletta laid down a bunt base hit that moved her teammate to third. A batter later, Katelyn Mikros plated Lont on a sacrifice fly to center field for the 1-0 walkoff win.

GAME 2 HIGHLIGHTS

• The Saints manufactured momentum to begin the contest. Maeve Thompson and Caelen Jahnle worked back-to-back walks before Leah Verschneider loaded the bases with a single through the left side. Dowd slammed the door with a strikeout to keep the contest scoreless.
• Kristyn Carroll blasted a leadoff triple that bounced off the left center wall in the home half. Izzy Melanson worked a lineout and consecutive groundouts, denying the chance for a run.
• Middlebury opened the scoring in the second. With two outs, Uma Corcoran brought home Adiletta and Mikros with a double to left center. Carroll followed suit, placing a two-bagger into left field to put the Panthers ahead 3-0.
• The Panthers added a tally in the third, as Olivia Scholes crossed the plate on a Saints miscue.
• Allison Kloft trimmed the lead to 4-1 with an RBI double that split the left and center fielder.
• Middlebury added some insurance in the bottom of the sixth. Olivia Fleming and Corcoran led off the inning with back-to-back singles. After relief pitcher Hannah Reardon tallied consecutive outs, Scholes plated her teammates on a double that ricocheted off the left field wall for a five-run advantage.
• Gallas tried to provide a spark for the visitors in their last ups on a pinch-hit single, but the Panther defense came through with a lineout and two highlight-reel plays by Corcoran and Lont in foul territory to seal the sweep. 

NOTES

• Lont excelled in the circle during the opener, allowing just four hits in her first complete game of the campaign.
• Dowd went the distance in her second career start, surrendering one run and four hits while striking out seven Saints.
• Carroll led the Panther offense with a 4-of-7 day at the plate, while Scholes and Corcoran each had two runs batted in during the second contest.
• The sides met for the 15th and 16th times. The Panthers hold an 11-5 advantage in the all-time series.

Middlebury heads to Florida for its annual spring break trip in two weeks. The Panthers open action with a doubleheader on Sunday, March 22 against Westminster (Mo.) at 12:15 p.m. followed by a battle with Union (NY) at 2:30 p.m.