Streaking Softball Takes Eight Out of Last 10

Author: Kate Nerenberg

Someone lit a fire underneath the Middlebury softball team. The Panthers have won eight of their last 10 games and six in a row. This past week, the squad dominated state rival Lyndon State and dismantled two New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) foes, Wesleyan and Bates.
Senior Lindsay Ladd led the Panthers on their way to a second-place NESCAC West Division ranking and an impressive 10-7 overall record. Proving to be a surge at the plate, Ladd batted 8-13 (.615), including three doubles, three triples, five runs and eight RBI, and gave the Panthers a much-needed spark with their hitting numbers.
In the first doubleheader of the week, the Panthers amassed a startling 32 hits and 25 runs against Lyndon State on Wednesday. Middlebury stifled its opponent in the first game with a strong defense that held Lyndon State scoreless for the first three innings. Breaking out of a hitting slump, the Panthers pounded away for 20 hits and 16 runs, while only allowing five hits and four runs. Michaela George '04 had a particularly strong showing, with four hits, including a homerun. Ladd chipped in with three RBI.
In the next of these two games, the Panthers used their momentum of the previous thrashing to start out strong. In the first three innings, they scored all nine of their runs, including five in the first. Ladd again led the way with three hits, while pitcher Lauren Bowe '04 picked up the win to improve her personal record to 3-1.
The Panthers brought their game to Wesleyan on Sunday for another doubleheader. Picking up wins seven and eight for the season, Middlebury overwhelmed the Cardinals 12-2 in the first game, but barely squeaked by in the second game, winning 2-1. Again the Panthers showed their hitting power, connecting 13 times in the first game. Katie Harrison '05.5 led the team with three hits while Ladd picked up four RBI. The Panthers took two innings to warm up before breaking out with six runs in the third and four runs in the fourth to easily put away the Cardinals.
In what proved to be a more exciting game, the Panthers had to fight for their victory in the next match-up of the afternoon. The team was only able to score twice despite registering 11 hits for the game. In the first inning, Wesleyan scored on a wild pitch, putting it ahead for the first time that day. However, the Panthers held strong defensively and fought back offensively and were finally rewarded in the fifth inning.
Megan McCarthy '05 doubled and then sprinted to third on another wild pitch. Christina Freyer '04 sent McCarthy home with a single of her own, and then was sent to second base after a Kathryn Hurd '06 single. When Ladd came up to bat, she managed to get to second base on an error by the Wesleyan leftfielder. This sent Hurd to third while Freyer crossed the plate for the second and winning run of the inning.
On Tuesday, the Bates doubleheader followed the theme of the previous four games. In the first game, Freyer connected three times as the team only allowed one run in a 6-1 win. The victory dropped Bates to 3-8 while the Panthers improved to 9-7 on the season.
In the second of these two games, Middlebury used a strong first inning to set the pace, scoring four runs off six hits. Five different Panthers registered three hits each to lead the team to a 17-hit game that did not allow the Bobcats any room to breathe.
The Panthers will look to keep their streak alive when they take on Castleton at home on Thursday. However, Saturday will be a true test when Amherst, undefeated in league play and ranked first in the NESCAC West Division comes to town.