The Middlebury baseball team utilized timely hitting, while the pitching staff struck out a season-high 14 batters and allowed two hits on Sunday in a 7-0 triumph over Vermont State University Castleton.
 
HIGHLIGHTS

• The Panthers struck with a run in the bottom of the first inning. Sam Gersch ripped a single to right-center field to plate Will Ashley, who entered as a pinch runner, building a 1-0 edge.
• Middlebury added to its lead with a trio of tallies in the third. Henry Ayers roped a leadoff single and touched home on a fielding miscue off the bat of Gersch. Andrew Baay pushed Gersch across via a swinging bunt, while Carter Chi made it 4-0 with an RBI triple that one-hopped the wall in left center.
• During the visiting half of the fourth, the Spartans put a pair of runners on after a walk by Tommy Shaw and a single to center from Trey LaVigne. Following a sacrifice bunt that moved the duo up a base, Panther pitcher Hank Lloyd posted a strikeout to end the frame.
• The score remained that way until the fifth, when the navy and white manufactured a run. Gersch reached on a fielder's choice and promptly stole second and third. He scampered to the plate on a sinking line drive to second off the bat of Gus Parker for a 5-0 lead.
• VTSU Castleton loaded the bases with two outs in the eighth on a single by Jack Humbach, a Panther fielding error and a LaVigne walk. Middlebury reliever Christian Zebrowski earned a punchout to get out of the jam.
• The Panthers increased the advantage in the home half. Chi ripped a double down the left-field line, moved to third on a bloop single from Samuel Kidd. The infielder scored on a sacrifice fly by Ayers for the sixth run of the contest. Ashley promptly followed with a bounding base knock to left field, pushing Alexander Glasscock, who was hit by a pitch, across the plate to make it 7-0.
• Dylan Knightly induced a pair of groundouts and a flyout in the ninth to secure the shutout.

NOTES

• Gersch posted a career-high four stolen bases, marking the most in a game since Justin Han '20 swiped four on May 11, 2019.
• Ayers continued his torrid start to his season, finishing 3-for-4 with a double, an RBI and a run scored.
• Ashley and Chi each went 2-for-4 at the plate, scored once and tallied a run batted in.
• Lloyd hurled a career-best six innings, collecting nine strikeouts and allowing just one hit and walking a pair to earn the win. 
• Zebrowski secured a season-high five strikeouts over his two innings of work and surrendered just one hit.  
• The programs met for the 71st occasion, with the Panthers holding a 39-32 advantage in the all-time series.

Middlebury concludes its homestand on Tuesday when it takes on Vermont State University Lyndon at 3:00 p.m.