MIDDLEBURY — The Middlebury College softball team swept a doubleheader from visiting Hamilton on Friday, with both games shortened due to the five-inning mercy rule, 8-0 and 10-2. The third game of the series was postponed from Saturday with a make-up date yet to be determined.
Middlebury improved to 11-7, 2-3 NESCAC, while the Continentals dropped to 9-15, 1-4 in the league. The Panthers’ Monday doubleheader vs. Johnson State was canceled, and if field conditions permitted they were set to host Union for a Wednesday doubleheader. Middlebury will visit second-place Williams for a three-game NESCAC West series this Friday and Saturday. Middlebury will need to win the series to remain in contention for a postseason berth.
In the opener this past Friday Emily Morris tossed a two-hit shutout, striking out three. Allison Quigley doubled, singled twice and drove in two runs, Olivia Bravo doubled and tripled, and Liza Tarr picked up two hits. 
Quigley keyed the Panthers’ three-run first with a two-run double, and Kaylee Gumm added a sacrifice fly. In the second Bravo tripled in a run and then scored on a Kati Daczkowski sacrifice fly to make it 5-0.
The Panthers ended the game in the fifth inning with three runs. Morris scored on a wild pitch, and Bravo doubled home a run and scored on another Daczkowski sacrifice fly.
Hamilton took a 1-0 lead in the first inning of the nightcap. The Panthers knotted the score in the second on doubles by Melanie Mandell, who had three hits in the game, and Gumm.
In the third inning the Panthers scored four times on six hits, including Emily Moore’s two-run homer.  Gumm walked with the bases loaded and Taylor Gardner poked a sacrifice fly.
In the fourth Middlebury plated its final five runs. Quigley singled home a run, and doubles by Mandell and Tarr made it 8-1 before Gumm’s two-run homer capped the inning. Hamilton plated an unearned run in the fifth, but could not extend the game.
Quigley earned the pitching victory, allowing one earned run on six hits with three strikeouts.