MIDDLEBURY, Vt. – Middlebury picked up a pair of non-league wins over visiting Skidmore on Tuesday, beating the Thoroughbreds 3-1 in game one and 7-6 in eight innings in the night cap. The Panthers improve to 7-6 overall with the sweep, while Skidmore evens its record at 7-7
In game one, Middlebury scored all three runs in the first inning, while starting pitcher Geena Costantin kept Skidmore at bay, tying a school mark in strike-outs with 15. Caitlin Ketchman had a solo home run for the Thoroughbreds.
Ketcham's home run paced the Thouroughbreds as Michelle Anderson added a double in a 1-3 game at the plate. Sam Crose (7-3) took the loss for Skidmore, allowing the three earned runs in the first, but giving up only two more hits the rest of the game.
Crose started game two for Skidmore, holding the Panthers at bay as the Thoroughbreds built a 5-0 lead through six innings. Skidmore exploded for four runs in the third, including a towering three-run home run by Lauren Dinsdale deep to left. The Thoroughbreds added another in the fifth before Middlebury tied the game at five apiece in the bottom of the seventh to force extra innings.
In the top of the eighth, with the international tie-break rule in play, Derrin Jarvis plated Jamie Rubin from second base to start the inning. After another single, Panther reliever Ali McAnaney shut down the next three batters. With Middlebury trailing 6-5, Alyson Downing advanced to third on a wild pitch and later scored the tying run on a shot to right field by Kira Gordon that was also mishandled. Sophie Dorot ended the game on a long single to right, plating Gordon from second base.
Dinsdale had a homer and three RBI for Skidmore. Crose (7-4) took the loss, giving up seven runs, three earned, over 7.1 innings.
