The Middlebury softball team battled to a conference doubleheader split with Williams on Saturday. The Ephs tallied a 6-1 win in the opener before a nine-run seventh inning sealed an 11-2 victory for the Panthers during the nightcap.
GAME ONE HIGHLIGHTS
- McKenna Lont led off the opener with a base hit to right field, while Kristyn Carroll followed with a walk. Each Panther gained an extra base on a wild pitch, but Eph pitcher Sadie Leonard coaxed a pair of swinging strikeouts to escape the jam.
- The hosts moved in front in the home half of the second inning. Haley Barrett worked a base on balls to begin the inning before Dani Jackman uncorked a two-run homer to left field that established a 2-0 lead.
- Jen Westphal cranked a solo shot to center field with one away in the fourth, trimming the deficit to one.
- During their next at-bats, Williams loaded the bases with one away. Lauren Davis delivered a critical base knock up the middle, scoring Miya Fujimoto and pinch runner Cassidy Chew. A groundout moved the two remaining runners up to second and third before Sidney Miller drove a two-RBI single to left center to build a 6-1 advantage.
- The Ephs prevented Middlebury from reaching third base over the final three stanzas to secure the five-run triumph.
GAME TWO HIGHLIGHTS
- Carroll kicked off a first-inning rally with a one-out single to third base. Westphal followed with an infield knock and Carroll nabbed third on a Williams miscue. Olivia Fleming drove in both runners on a double down the right-field line, building an early 2-0 edge.
- The hosts leveled the contest in the bottom half. Miller reached on a fielder's choice and Katie Blanch followed with a base knock to right. Miller advanced on a flyout before Davis plated both runners with a seeing-eye single up the middle to tie the contest at 2-2.
- During the third frame, Carroll logged a lead-off single through the left side and stole second base. A groundout by Westphal pushed the speedy Carroll to third. Eph pitcher Katie Blanch worked a strikeout and foul pop-out to the first base side, denying the go-ahead run.
- The hosts countered in the bottom of the inning with a base knock from Miller. Two batters later, the right fielder made it to third base on back-to-back groundouts. Emily Dowd held strong in the circle, striking out Justine Dunaway for the final out of the frame.
- Carroll logged her third single of the contest during the fifth and later made it to third on a stolen base and groundout. Riley Keane roped a line drive toward right field, but first basemen Emily Borrazzo snagged the ball with her glove.
- The Panthers put runners on second and third with one out after a single by Sarah LaFond and a Williams miscue, but a strikeout and groundout quelled the chance.
- After a 1-2-3 inning from Dowd in the bottom half, the Panthers broke the contest open during their final at-bats. Westphal and LaFond each had a run-producing double that pushed a combined five navy and white runners across the plate during the big inning, crafting an 11-2 lead.
- Dowd gave up a one-out single to Miya Fujimoto before tallying consecutive flyouts to snatch the split.
 NOTES
- Dowd logged her 10th win in the circle, conceding five hits and two runs while striking out four Ephs. She becomes the first Panther rookie pitcher to have 10 or more wins since Emily Morris in 2018.
- Carroll enjoyed a 6-for-9 day at the plate over the two contests, including a 4-for-5 performance with three runs scored in the nightcap.
- Westphal led the charge with a team-best four runs batted in.
- The conference foes met for the 75th and 76th times and have split their last six battles.
Middlebury closes its weekend road trip with a doubleheader at Amherst on Sunday. The first pitch is scheduled for 12:00 p.m.
