Softball falls short of postseason

The Middlebury softball team watched its season come to an end this weekend after losing two of three games in a must-win series against Wesleyan University. After winning game one of the key home series 5-0, the Panthers could not muster another win on the weekend, instead falling prey to the Cardinals 10-7 and 6-4 in games two and three.

Wesleyan will move on to the NESCAC Championship tournament next weekend against top-seeded Tufts University of the NESCAC East division. Williams College will host the tournament.

The weekend series began well for the Panthers, as Geena Constantin ’11 pitched a one-hit shutout. At the plate, first baseman Megan Margel ’11 led the way in the bottom of the third inning, batting in three runs with a no-out double after Emily Burbridge ’11, Jessa Hoffman ’13 and Kira Gordon ’12 all reached base.

In all, Middlebury struck for four runs in the inning and scored once again in the bottom of the fourth. Wesleyan only advanced one runner into scoring position over all seven innings, as Constantin was sharp once again.

Collecting the win for the Panthers, Constantin earned her seventh victory on the season in convincing fashion, reminiscent of her perfect game earlier in the season.

“We started the weekend out great and played really well in our first game on Friday,” said co-captain Kristin Maletsky ’10.5. “Our bats were on fire and our defense was solid.”

Friday afternoon’s victory would prove to be the Panthers’ last of the season. After falling to the Cardinals 10-7 in the first half of Saturday’s doubleheader, both teams faced a must-win situation heading into the rubber match of the series.

Although Wesleyan was able to claim victory in game two, both teams fought until the bitter end of the contest.

“Unfortunately, on Saturday, we just couldn’t piece everything together all at once, and Wesleyan could,” said Maletsky.

Margel, who had six total hits on the day, started off the scoring in the bottom of the first inning for the Panthers, driving in the first of five runs the Panthers would score in the frame.

Designated player Jessica Poracky ’13 drove in an additional three runs with a no-out home run to left field before the Panthers added an unearned run to cap off the inning.

After a six-run third inning for the Cardinals, Constantin came on to pitch in relief of Ali McAnaney ’11 who had been solid to that point.

By the time the Panthers returned to the plate, Wesleyan had pushed their lead to two runs, but would not take its 7-5 lead out of the bottom of the fourth. Middlebury scored twice in the bottom half of the inning to knot the game at 7-7.

The gridlock would hold through the normal seven innings, forcing extra innnings in this important game.

The Panthers’ defensive errors in the top of the eighth inning proved costly, as Wesleyan capitalized and took a three run lead before Middlebury could record three outs. Without production in the bottom half of the inning the Panthers surrendered game two of the series.

Offense was relatively slow at first in the rubber match of the series. Each team scored a run in the first inning before Wesleyan took a 3-1 lead in the fourth inning.

An offensive surge by the Cardinals in the sixth inning pushed the Wesleyan lead to a seemingly insurmountable five runs. Middlebury’s bats were largely silent until the bottom of the seventh inning, when Hoffman plated two runs with a two-out triple.

Burbridge then singled in Hoffman, taking a bite in Wesleyan’s lead.

“Obviously this weekend was very disappointing for us,” said co-captain Sophie Dorot ’10.

“We definitely could have won that series but things didn’t fall in place for us in those last two games.”

The final score would be 6-4, after Poracky lined out to the pitcher.

Though hard-fought, the game was disappointing for the Panthers, who finish the season with one more win than last year at 18-12 and 7-5 in the NESCAC West division.

Both captains, who have now played their final seasons in Panther uniforms, are optimistic about the team’s future.

“All in all, this was a really great season for us,” Dorot said,

“and next year the team will be even stronger as most players are returning and can continue to build upon the success we had this year.”

Maletsky added that she has similar hopes for next season.

“While the outcome of this weekend was very disappointing, I am confident that the team will be even better next year and will be the team to beat in NESCAC.”

For now, however, the Middlebury softball team will have to settle for the offseason.