MIDDLEBURY, VT- Wesleyan softball was swept by Middlebury Saturday afternoon in Vermont. The Cardinals and Panthers faced off yesterday as well, with the Panthers taking the game 10-2 in just five innings of play. The two games Saturday had the same script, with the Panthers winning both in under seven innings. In game one, Wesleyan got on the board in the first to take a 2-0 lead. The Panthers responded with nine unanswered runs to take a commanding lead and end up taking the 12-4 victory in six innings. In game two it was more of the same from the Panthers, who took the 12-2 win in five innings. Wesleyan drops to 10-15 (2-5 NESCAC) while Middlebury improves to 16-8 (8-4 NESCAC).
 
HIGHLIGHTS (GAME 1, 12-4 (5 IN) LOSS):

• The offenses for both sides were hot to start the game. In the top of the 1^st, Wesleyan was able to push across two runs on three hits. Sophia Sciarappa '22 drove the first run of the contest in on a RBI-single down the right field line. Hannah Docktor '24 drove the 2^nd run of the inning in a few batters later on a single to center to give the Cardinals an early 2-0 lead. Middlebury's pitching was able to strand the bases loaded to hold the deficit at just two
• Middlebury came back with four first inning runs of their own, on three hits and one Cardinals' error. Abby Santis delivered the big hit of the inning, ripping a 3-run home run over the center field fence to give the Panthers the lead for the first time in the game
• The Panthers offense continued to produce in the middle innings, scoring three in the 3^rd and two in the 4^th to extend their lead to 9-2. Middlebury went for seven hits between those two innings, forcing a Wesleyan pitching change
• Wesleyan showed fight in the 5^th, scoring two runs on two hits to cut into the Panthers' lead. Sciarappa delivered again with a RBI-double, followed by a Isabella Secaira-Cotto '25 RBI-single that cut the deficit to just five. However, Middlebury came back with two more runs in the bottom half of the inning. Then added the deciding run in the bottom of the 6^th to end the game with a 12-4 victory

 
NOTES:

• Sophia Sciarappa (2-for-3, 2 runs, 2 RBI) delivers her 4^th multi-RBI game of the season
• Isabella Secaira-Cotto (2-for-3, 1 RBI) joins Sciarappa with two hits
• Middlebury outhit Wesleyan 14-7

 
HIGHLIGHTS (GAME 2, 12-2 (5 IN) LOSS)

• Middlebury got off to a hot start in game two, scoring a single run in the first inning before exploding for nine 2^nd inning runs to get the game out of hand early. The Panthers pushed across their nine 2^nd inning runs on eight hits, stranding the bases loaded.
• Wesleyan scored their first runs of the game in the 3^rd, plating two runs on two hits. After the inning started with two outs, Courtney Collins-Pisano '22 tripled, scoring just two batters later when Sciarappa delivered yet another RBI-single to drive in two
• Middlebury closed the game out in the bottom of the 3^rd and 4^th, scoring one run in each to extend their lead back to 10 going into the 5^th. Wesleyan threatened to score in the top of the 5^th loading the bases, however the Panthers' pitching closed the door for the 5 inning victory

 
NOTES:

• Sophia Sciarappa (1-for-2, 2 RBI) finishes 3-for-5 with 4 RBI in two games
• Courtney Collins-Pisano (2-for-3, 1 run) records her team-leading 3^rd triple of the season
• Middlebury outhit Wesleyan 13-5

 
UP NEXT:
Wesleyan competes in their 6^th and 7^th game in five days Sunday when they will return home to face off against Hamilton in a doubleheader at 12pm and 2pm.