WATERVILLE- At the Colby Softball Complex, Middlebury College (Vermont) visited the Mules in a New England Small College Athletic Association (NESCAC) doubleheader on Saturday. By the end of the afternoon, the Mules and Panthers would split the two very competitive games.
In Game 1- Chloe Wilcox hit a walkoff RBI single in the bottom of the eighth inning to give Colby a 2-1 come from behind win. The Mules had trailed 1-0 courtesy of an infield RBI single by Olivia Scholes for Middlebury in the top of the sixth. The Mules sent it to extra innings on a Juliana Kiley RBI sacrifice fly in the bottom of the seventh inning. Abby Orso (5-3) picked up the victory in the circle for Colby allowing one run (none earned) on five hits with five walks and 10 strikeouts in the complete 8.0 inning effort. Carissa Cassidy and Courtney Schumacher had two hits each. Scholes had two hits for the Panthers, and Jewel Ashbrook (3-3) also went the distance in taking the loss for Middlebury giving up two runs on five hits with four walks and five strikeouts in 7.0+ innings.
In Game 2- Middlebury scored three runs in the fourth and one in the fifth inning to take the lead for good, then held on to gain the split 7-6. The Panthers came out swinging scoring three times in the top of the first on an RBI double by McKenna Lont and a two-run single from Nina Schroeder. Colby had the answer in the bottom half, including a two-run homerun to right centerfield by Schumacher to even the score 3-3. The hosts took their final lead of the afternoon on an RBI double by Victoria Ramirez in the third inning. Lont had an RBI single and Megan Fox singled in two runs with a single in the three run fourth to make it 6-4 Middlebury. The Mules down 7-4 in their last at bat with two outs made one more last ditched effort with one runner on base. Schumacher hit one down the right field line that eluded the outfielder in the corner, and she came all the way around to score for the two-run inside the park homer. Ramirez followed and got into scoring position with a double, but Emma Burnham grounded out to end it. Ashley Correll (3-2) started in the circle and suffered the loss for Colby allowing six runs on nine hits with two walks and two strikeouts in 3.1 innings. Schumacher had three hits and four RBI on her pair of two-run homeruns. Ramirez had two hits with a run knocked in. Lont and Kristyn Carroll had three hits each for the Panthers. Lont, Fox, and Schroeder had two RBI a piece. Lont (7-2) went the distance for the pitching win giving up six runs on nine hits with three walks and seven strikeouts in 7.0 innings. The Panthers improve to 12-8 and 5-3 in the NESCAC.
Colby is now 10-10 and 2-2 in conference play, and returns to action on Sunday when they host Williams College for another NESCAC doubleheader beginning at 11 a.m.
Recaps/photos by Chris Lessner
Courtney Schumacher celebrates with her Colby teammates after a two-run homerun in Game 2 of a NESCAC doubleheader on Saturday that tied the game. The Mules ended up with a split against the Middlebury College Panthers
