MIDDLEBURY, VT- Wesleyan softball drops a NESCAC matchup against Middlebury Friday afternoon, 10-2 (5 innings). The pitchers from both sides came out sharp, holding the opposing team scoreless for the first inning, before the Panthers plated two in the 2^nd. Wesleyan came back with two of their own in the top of the 3^rd. After that, it was all Middlebury. They scored eight unanswered runs over the next two innings to cut the game short. Middlebury picks up the win in five innings to improve to 14-8 (6-4 NESCAC), while Wesleyan drops to 10-13 (2-3 NESCAC) with the loss.
 
HIGHLIGHTS:

• Middlebury got on the board in the 2^nd on two hits and an error to take the early 2-0 lead. Wesleyan would come back to score two and tie it up in the top of the 3^rd. Kendall Mancuso '22 hit a 2-run single to left center that drove in Revi Brown '23 and Krissy Gately '24 who had both singled earlier in the inning
• The Panthers were quick to answer, pushing across three runs in the bottom half of the third. They scored those three runs on four hits with the big hit of the inning coming on a Megan Fox 3-run double. Wesleyan would force the Panthers to strand the bases loaded to limit the damage to just those three runs
• After a 1-2-3 top half of the 4^th, Middlebury went for five more runs in their half of the inning. The Panthers capitalized on two Wesleyan errors, along with three hits of their own, to extend their 4^th inning lead to 10-2
• Wesleyan had to push at least one run across in the top of the 5^th to extend the game, but were shut down by the Panthers pitching. Jewel Ashbrook (5 IP, 4 hits, 2 ER, 5 K's)

 
NOTES:

• Wesleyan is defeated in 5 innings for the 3^rd time this year
• Kendall Mancuso (1-for-2, 2 RBI) drives in both runs for the Cardinals
• Krissy Gately (2-for-2, 1 run) had her 3^rd multi-hit game of the season
• Middlebury outhit Wesleyan 10-4

 
UP NEXT:
Wesleyan will stay in Middlebury, VT to face the Panthers again tomorrow (April 23^rd) in a doubleheader at 12pm and 2pm.