BRUNSWICK, Maine - In a conference tournament bracket altered by inclement weather, second-seeded Middlebury claimed its second NESCAC Softball Championship in program history. The Panthers outlasted third-seeded Colby in 11 innings to earn a 6-4 victory, before securing the team's first conference title since 2011 with a 7-5 triumph over fifth-seeded Williams.
No. 2 Middlebury def. No. 5 Williams, 7-5 | Box Score
Olivia Fleming hit a go-ahead home run in the sixth inning and Emma Dowd earned the win in relief as Middlebury defeated Williams 7-5 to claim the program's second conference title and first since 2011.
Middlebury broke a scoreless tie with a five-run fourth inning, sending 10 batters to the plate and drawing six walks against Williams starter Katie Blanch. Sophia LaFond's two-run fielder's choice plated two runs as the Panthers batted around without recording a single hit in the inning.
Williams rallied for two runs in the fifth on Haley Barrett's two-run single and added three more in the sixth, capped by Barrett's RBI, to cut the deficit to 5-5.
Dowd entered with the score tied and retired Williams in order in the seventh. Fleming's solo home run to left in the sixth, and Kristyn Carroll's triple that scored as an unearned run on a passed ball, proved to be the final margin.
No. 2 Middlebury def. No. 3 Colby 6-4 (11 inn.) | Box Score
Julia Westphal launched a walk-off two-run home run in the 11th inning and Emma Dowd pitched eight scoreless innings of relief as Middlebury outlasted Colby 6-4 in a NESCAC Semifinal to advance to the championship game.
Dowd, who improved to 12-1, was untouchable after entering in the fourth inning, striking out eight and walking two while allowing just nine hits over her eight frames. She kept Colby off the board from the fourth inning through extra innings.
Juliana Kiley's two-run home run in the third gave the Mules a 4-1 lead. But Middlebury chipped back, pulling within one on Olivia Fleming's RBI single in the third and Lily Schultz's run-scoring knock, then tying it at 4-4 in the seventh when Olivia Scholes doubled home Sophia LaFond.
Kiley went 4-for-6 and Emma Burnham also homered for Colby. Sophia Meade fell to 10-3 after allowing three earned runs over 7.1 innings.
No. 5 Williams def. No. 1 Tufts 8-7 | Box Score
Williams erupted for five runs in the third against Tufts starter Avery Kanouse, highlighted by Dani Jackman's two-run double to right-center that cleared the bases and gave the Ephs a 5-3 lead. Justine Dunaway added an RBI single, and Annabella Rychetsky plated another run on a groundout to push the cushion to 6-3.
Tufts rallied with four runs in the sixth on Heaven Oliva's three-run single and Paige Murphy's RBI double to tie the game at 7-7, but Sidney Miller's RBI double off Sarah Brody in the bottom of the sixth gave Williams the lead for good.
Katie Blanch, who improved to 5-6, retired the final four Jumbos in order to close it out. Brody fell to 9-4.
