Middlebury, VT - Middlebury College limited Northern Vermont University-Lyndon to seven hits, all singles, over two games and swept Wednesday's college softball doubleheader, taking the opener, 16-2, and the nightcap, 9-1. With the wins, the Panthers improved to 15-13, while the Hornets fell to 8-17.
Game 1 - Middlebury 16, NVU-Lyndon 2
Lyndon scored an unearned run in the top of the first inning, but it was all Middlebury after that. The Panthers pounded out 14 hits, with Abby Santis and Jennifer Westphal leading the way. Santis had a pair of hits and scored four runs, while Westphal also had two hits, with three runs batted in and three runs scored. Seairra Anderson (Smoersworth, NH) had two of Lyndon's three hits, with Ann Watkins (Los Angeles, CA) picking up the other.
Abigail Jankowski picked up the win in relief for Middlebury, as she allowed only one run and two hits over the final three inning. Lyndon starter Madison Wood (Saint Joseph, MI) took the loss.
Game 2 - Middlebury 9, NVU-Lyndon 1
Middlebury pushed across three runs in the bottom of the third inning to break a scoreless tie, and the Panthers added three more runs in the fifth inning, then walked off the win with three in the sixth. Megan Fox had a huge game for Middlebury, going 3/3 at the plate with a two-run home run, a double, five runs batted in and two runs scored. Santis and Marina Lyon also had a pair of hits. Audrey Tembreull (Vergennes, VT) had a hit and a walk for the Hornets. Anderson, Adriana Lemieux (St, Johnsbury, VT), and Claudia Knapp (Howell, NJ) had the other Lyndon hits.
Jewel Ashbrook went the final three innings, allowing only an unearned run, to garner the win. Emily Anderson (Levittown, NY) started for Lyndon and went five innings in taking the loss.
The Hornets get back into North Atlantic Conference play with four crucial games this weekend. Lyndon will play a 3:00 pm doubleheader at Thomas College on Friday, then a 2:00 pm twin bill at the University of Maine at Farmington on Saturday. The Hornets, Terriers, Beavers, and the University of Maine at Presque Isle are battling for the other two NAC East Division playoff spots, along with division winner Husson University.