MIDDLEBURY, Vt. – The Williams College softball team's recent slide continued Saturday as the Ephs dropped a NESCAC West Division doubleheader with Middlebury, 13-2 and 5-1, running their losing streak to four games.
The Ephs fell to 8-8 overall, 0-3 in the NESCAC West. They are back in action Monday with a doubleheader at Springfield beginning at 3:30 p.m. Middlebury improved to 12-4 overall and 5-1 in the NESCAC West with the sweep.
Middlebury scored in every inning of game one, cruising to a 13-2 win in a five inning contest stopped early due to the eight-run mercy rule.
Williams took an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first when senior Caitlyn Cain drew a lead-off walk and came around to score on a wild pitch. But the Panthers answered right back with two in their half of the first when Emily Burbridge and Susan Boylan had RBI-singles.
Middlebury put the game out of reach in the third inning, scoring five runs on three hits. Margel singled up the middle to plate a pair, while Burbridge belted a two-run homer to right center to make it an 11-1 game.
The Ephs final run came when Carly Ameen tripled for Williams in the top of the fourth, scoring Ali Graebner.
Margel finished the game 2-4 with two runs scored and three driven in, while Burbridge was 2-4 with a homer and four RBI. Jessa Hoffman and Nellie Wood each had two hits and three runs scored, while Sable finished 2-2, crossing the plate three times.
Ali McAnaney went four innings to earn the win, improving to 4-1 on the season. Elizabeth Morris tossed one inning of scoreless relief. Senior Mary Beth Daub took the loss for Williams, allowing nine runs, eight earned, and seven hits over two innings of work.
In the nightcap, Williams took a 1-0 lead in the first inning. With runners on first and second, Ally Ensor singled through the right side, pushing both runners ahead one base. The throw home from right went past the catcher, allowing the runner from third to score.
The Panthers got on the board in the third, scoring a pair of runs. A pair of errors put Alex Scibetta and Jessa Hoffman on the bases. A wild pitch from Williams' hurler Megan Casey moved both runners into scoring position. Nellie Wood followed with an infield RBI single, scoring Scibetta from third. Later, with the bases loaded, Casey tossed another wild pitch, allowing all runners to advance, including Hoffman from third base, for a 2-1 Panther lead.
Alexa Lesenskyj had a 2-2 day at the plate, entering the game in the third inning, relieving starter Geena Constantin. She pitched 3.2 innings, while scattering four hits to improve her record to 3-2. Elizabeth Morris earned her second save for Middlebury, called in to relieve Lesenskyj in the seventh with two on and the tying run on deck with no outs. She put the Ephs down 1-2-3 to end the threat.
Williams was paced by Cedar Blazek and Enzor, both going 2-4 in the nightcap, while pinch-hitter Kaitlin Dinet added a double, as the Ephs stranded 11 base runners in the game. Casey took the loss, allowing five runs, two earned, over six innings of work.
