Softball's Weekend Sees Sweep and New Win Plateau

Author: Andrew Zimmermann

This year, as opposed to years past, the Middlebury softball team is approaching the end of the season in full stride. Having already broken the record for wins in a season, the 2002 Panthers have more than doubled any previous season win total by collecting 11 hard-fought victories with two games yet to be played. The team capped the spring with its most productive week, going 3-1 including a sweep of NESCAC West nemesis Wesleyan at home over the weekend.

Although the NESCAC post-season softball tournament has been set, with Williams, Bowdoin, Amherst and Tufts qualifying, Middlebury has done nothing but play solid softball in the final half of the season. The last 10 games have seen the Panthers go 7-3 with impressive wins against St. Lawrence, Hamilton, Wesleyan and Lyndon State. Tri Captain Meghan Cannella '02 attributed the resurgence in play to a five-game losing steak in the middle of the season that served as a wake up call. "We went out after [the losing streak] and played every game to have fun. We were determined by the end of the season to end with double digits in wins." This past weekend the team did just that with a sweep at the hands of Wesleyan.

At the beginning of the week however, Middlebury took out any and all anger on Lyndon State in game one with an 8-1 win. Despite being shut out in game two, a large part of the team's recent success has occurred because the Middlebury bats have awakened. In the masterful pitching performance by Megan McCarthy '05, fellow first-year Lauren Guza collected four hits en route to a 7-10 week including three RBI, three runs and a triple. Kelly Slack '03 added a double and a triple while Amanda Bohnsack '02 knocked in three hits. Both Slack and Bohnsack stand seventh and ninth respectively in NESCAC batting average along with Christina Freyer '04, who is tenth.

Middlebury returned home from Lyndon State and put together its best double-header series on the year by allowing just two runs and scoring seven. Game one included a two hit shutout by McCarthy which the Panthers needed as they mustered one run and won by the slimmest of margins, 1-0. Bohnsack had an RBI single in the first scorng teammate Slack to provide the only offense in a tight game marked by both excellent pitching and excellent defense.

Game two ended in favor of the Panthers 6-2. It was the team's eleventh win of the season, more than twice as many as it has ever had.

It was not easy, however, as Middlebury had to erase a 2-1 deficit in the bottom of the fifth inning before moving ahead. The team added two more insurance runs in its half of the sixth inning to create some breathing room. Slack was the offensive hero with four hits and half that number of RBI. Lauren Bowe '04, who has complimented the brilliance of McCarthy nicely towards the end of the season, picked up the win.

As the season ends today with two final games against Skidmore College, veteran Cannella is confident that the success the college community has been privy to lately will continue for the softball team in the future. "The program is in the best position it has ever been in," said the departing captain. "But next year could be even better."