Box Score
WILLIAMSTOWN, MA — In an epic battle
Sunday on Cole Field, Merrilee Weston had the final say.
Weston's one-out, two-run single in the bottom of the 10th
inning lifted Williams College to a thrilling 7-6 conference win
over rival Middlebury. The Ephs improved to 9-17 on the season, 4-2
in the NESCAC West. Middlebury fell to 15-8 overall, 6-3 in the
West.
The Ephs are back in action Tuesday when they host RPI four a
doubleheader beginning at 3:30 p.m.
Sunday, both teams appeared to have this pivotal game won
multiple times. Williams scored three times in the first and led
4-3 after three innings. The score was the same entering the top of
the seventh. With two outs and pinch-runner Haley MacKeen at second
base, Williams hurler Mary Beth Daub had a 3-2 count on Middlebury
freshman Sarah Boylan when the Panther got a hold of the next pitch
and drove it over the fence for a dramatic two-run home run and a
5-4 Middlebury lead.
In the bottom of the seventh, Eph lead-off batter Oriana Mcgee
slashed a single up the middle with no outs and was sacrificed to
second by Allison Hart. Eph first year Cedar Blazek then hit a slow
roller to second and was thrown out at first. However, on the play
Mcgee just kept running for home and she slid into the plate ahead
of the throw from Panther first baseman Megan Margel, tying the
game 5-5 and sending into extra innings.
The Panthers threatend in the top of the eighth when Jessa
Hoffman led off with a single and stole second with one out. But
Daub induced groundouts from Magel and clean-up hitter Geena
Constantin to end the threat. Daub left after nine innings having
allowed 11 hits and five runs, all earned, while walking four and
striking out eight.
First year Megan Casey took over in the top of the 10th for
Williams and Emily Burbridge greeted her with a single. Burbridge
was sacrificed to second and moved to third when Kira Gordon beat
out a bunt for a single. Margel then blooped a perfectly placed
single down the left-field line to score Burbridge with the
go-ahead run. With runners on second and third and one out, Casey
avoided more damage when she induced a groundout for the second out
and then fanned the next batter looking.
The Ephs wasted no time trying to get the tying run across in
the bottom half of the inning when Hart rocketed a ball into the
left-center field gap for a double. Blazek then singled to center,
and took second on the throw. After Daub grounded back to
Constantin in the circle for the first out, Weston ripped a hard
grounder into right field that scored both runners and gave
Williams the 7-6 victory.
Constantin took the loss for the Panthers, going all 9 1/3
innings and allowing 13 hits and seven runs, six earned, while
walking just one and striking out nine. Boylan was 2 for 4 with
three RBI for Middlebury, and Alyson Downing was 2 for 5 with two
RBI.
Casey picked the win for the Ephs, tossing just the one inning.
Weston was 2 for 5 with three RBI, and Blazek 3 for 5 with one RBI.
Mcgee, Hart and Caitlyn Cain had two hits each in the win.
