The Middlebury softball team scored 10 runs over its final three at-bats to secure a 10-2 triumph over Keene State during Wednesday's nightcap. The visitors earned a 13-6 decision in the opener to record the split.
 
GAME 1 HIGHLIGHTS

• The Owls raced out to six runs on five hits in the top of the first inning, including a grand slam by Gianna Garafola and RBI singles from Abby Weiterman and Anna Gostowski, building a 6-0 advantage.
• Keene State added to its advantage with five more in its next at-bat. Gostowksi highlighted the output with a bases-clearing double to right-center field.
• The score remained until the home half of the fourth when the hosts struck for three tallies. Jen Westphal doubled down the left-field line to score Reagan Adiletta and pinch runner Sera Tokumaru. Olivia Fleming promptly followed with a ringing double to right center to push across Westphal for an 11-3 score.
• The Owls responded with a tally in the fifth on a run-scoring base hit to left by Garafola to drive in Elyse Picard.
• Adiletta made it an eight-run contest (12-4), reaching on a fielder's choice with the bases loaded during the bottom half. Westphal brought Middlebury to within six, poking a seeing-eye single through the left side to plate Adiletta and Livy Schultz.
• The visitors added a run in the seventh for the final 13-6 score.

GAME 2 HIGHLIGHTS

• In the nightcap, Middlebury loaded the bases during the second frame behind an infield single from Adiletta and walks by Olivia Scholes and Emily Dowd. Keene State pitcher Jaelyn Boretti induced a pop-up to get out of the jam.
• Jayme Kiley walked and Morgan Rodrigues reached on an infield single before a passed ball moved the pair to second and third with no outs in the subsequent frame. Dowd struck out the next three batters she faced to keep the contest scoreless.
• The Panthers grabbed the lead with a trio of tallies in the third. Kristyn Carroll was hit by a pitch and jogged home on a homerun from Schultz that clanged off the scoreboard in left center. Adiletta drew a base on balls, scampered to third on a bloop single from Katelyn Mikros, and scored on a single to center by Dowd to make it 3-0.
• The Owls cut the deficit to 3-1 in the fourth when Picard raced home on a wild pitch.
• The Panthers manufactured a pair of runs in their next trip to the plate. Sarah LaFond roped a ball that plugged the left-center gap for a double, while Carroll quickly followed with a three-bagger to right center for a 4-1 edge. Schultz smoked a ball through the left side to drive in Carroll and extended the lead to 5-1.
• Middlebury exploded for five markers a frame later without recording an out. LaFond sparked the output with an RBI base hit, followed by a two-run double from Carroll and a run-scoring two-base hit from Schultz to make it 9-2. Westphal clinched the victory with a base knock to left, plating pinch runner Alison Jankowski for the final 10-2 decision.

NOTES

• Carroll tied the program's single-season record with her seventh triple of the spring in the nightcap. She went 3-for-3 with a pair of doubles and the three-bagger in the win.
• Schultz had three hits in four trips to the plate in the second game, collecting a career-best four RBI and her second career homer. She went a combined 5-for-8 with a double and scored twice in the twin bill. 
• Dowd posted her team-leading sixth win (6-0) in the circle and fourth complete game, allowing two runs on five hits and matched her season high with nine strikeouts. 
• The sides met for the ninth and 10th times, with each program winning five.

The Panthers return to action on Friday, opening NESCAC play against Trinity. The first pitch of the twin bill is slated for 2:30 p.m.