WILLIAMSTOWN, MA — The Williams College softball team jumped out to a 6-1 Saturday and held on for a 6-5 win over Hamilton, completing a three-game sweep of the series and setting up a showdown with Amherst next weekend with a playoff spot on the line.
Williams improved to 14-11-1 with the victory, 5-4 in the NESCAC West Division. The Continentals fell to 5-20 overall, 0-9 in divisional play.
The Ephs scored four runs in the second inning Saturday to build a 4-0 lead and never looked back. Mary Beth Daub got the inning started with one out when she was hit by an offering from Hamilton starter Chelsea Merritt. Carly Ameen drew a walk and Caitlyn Cain followed with a shot into the right-center field gap that scored both runners for a 2-0 lead.
Theresa Legan then reached on a fielder's choice when Cain beat a throw to third. After Legan stole second, Kaitlin Dinet hit a line drive to right-center for a two-run double that made it 4-0.
Hamilton got on the board in its third inning when Leigh Sherrow singled, was sacrificed to second by a Liz Reid bunt and scored when Merritt doubled to deep left center. After a walk and an infield single loaded the bases, Daub got out of the jam by inducing Lisa Faraci to line out to Ali Graebner at second and Sam Miller to line out to Ally Ensor in center field.
The Ephs got two back in their half of the inning when Cedar Blazek led off with a double to left, went to third on a single up the middle by Merrilee Weston and scored on a groundout from Daub. Weston scored when Ameen's sharp grounder to short was misplayed into an error.
Hamilton scored three times in the sixth to make it 6-4. Ashley Perritt and Faraci started the frame with singles. A groundout advanced them to second and third. Cara Vennari scored a run with another grounder. Melissa Kaknis then scored a run with a single. After a Sherrow singled loaded the bases, Megan Casey relieved Daub in the circle. She induced a groundout that scored a run, then got out of the inning when shortstop Legan threw out Sherrow out at home.
The Continentals added another run in the top of the seventh to make it 6-5, but Casey struck out Vennari with a runner on first to end the contest.
Casey earned a save, allowing one run over 1 2/3 innings. She gave up one hit, one walk, and struck out one. Daub earned the victory, improving to 8-3. She went the first 5 1.3, allowed eight hits while walking one and striking out one.
Sherrow was 2 for 3 with a run scored for Hamilton. Perritt was 2 for 4 with a run scored. For Williams, Dinet was 2 for 3 with two RBI, Blazek was 2 for 3 with two doubles, and Cain was 1 for 3 with two RBI.
