Ephs Split Doubleheader Against Middlebury

 
Scores:
Game 1: Williams 7, Middlebury 3
Game 2: Williams 4, Middlebury 10
 
Location: Middlebury, VT
Records: Williams 10-9, Middlebury 11-7
 
The Short Story: While the Ephs bounced back from Friday's shutout loss to top the Panthers 7-3 in Game 1, Middlebury pounced on Eph starter Maya Hartman '22 in Game 2, scoring nine runs in the first three innings on their way to a 10-4 victory.
 
Coach's Take: "We had amazing, quality at-bats up and down the lineup in Game 1, which is how we measure how we're doing on offense. They hit us pretty hard in the second game, and our defense didn't always back us up, but we had a good little rally at the end. This was, frankly, a lot more fun than Friday." – Kris Herman
 
How it Happened

• After Mara Kipnis '22 hit a one-out double in the first inning of Game 1, first baseman Bailey Burger-Moore singled her home to give the Ephs a 1-0 lead. In the third, center fielder Alyana Granados hit a double down the right-field lead to extend the lead to 3-0.
• Holding onto a 4-2 lead, the Ephs took advantage of a fielding error by third baseman Noelle Ruschil in the fifth. With two outs, left fielder Tayler Wise '24 hit an RBI single to score second baseman Rachel Neugart '22, and after Kipnis drew a walk, third baseman Kelly McGuigan '24 drove them both home with a two-run double to the left-center field gap to make it 7-2. The Panthers only managed one more run from there.
• In Game 2, the Panthers scored two runs (one earned) in the first. The Ephs had a chance to tie the score in the second, scoring one run on a bases-loaded walk by Wise but leaving the bases loaded. The Panthers then scored four more runs in the second, all of which came on back-to-back home runs by left fielder Abby Santis and Ruschil, and three more in the third to force Hartman out of the game.
• Though Kipnis hit a solo home run and shortstop Ronni Ramos '24 hit an RBI double in the fifth to make it 9-3, the Panthers added an insurance run on an RBI groundout by Santis in the bottom of the inning. The Ephs only managed one more run from there.

Inside the Box Score

• Each of the nine starting Ephs recorded at least one hit in Game 1, and the team combined for 13 hits, their most since a 10-6 win over Rensselaer on March 31.
• Kipnis recorded two hits in each game, including a double in Game 1 and the home run in Game 2.
• Pitcher Elyse Chan '25 threw her second consecutive complete game, and third of the season, in Game 1, striking out six Panthers and improving her record to 3-2.
• In Game 2, Middlebury pitcher Jewel Ashbrook threw her second complete game against Williams this weekend, though she was not quite as dominant this time, giving up four runs and striking out only three Ephs.

Next Up for the Ephs

• The Ephs will continue their road trip with a doubleheader against Smith, starting on Tuesday at 4PM.