CAC West playoff spots.
Temperatures on Saturday afternoon dipped precariously close to freezing, but California native and senior co-captain pitcher Miya Warner perservered in game one as the Jeffs cruised, 6-2, earning Warner her 10th win on the season. Warner, who earned NESCAC Player of the Week honors, scattered five hits and seven strikeouts over seven innings; the Panthers never threatened. Middlebury pitcher Jennifer Williams showed similar dominance in the first two innings, but in the third the Jeffs ended the 0-0 stalemate.
Second baseman Annalise Rodli '07 led off with a walk and advanced to second on a single to left field by shortstop Lindsey Harrington '09. A sacrifice bunt by first baseman Laura Trigeiro '06 advanced both runners. With runners on second and third and one out, centerfielder Julia Cummings '09 slammed the ball into deep centerfield for a bases-clearing triple. Cummings scampered home on a wild pitch to give the Jeffs a 3-0 edge.
Neither team scored for the next inning and a half until the Jeffs demonstrated their affinity for both the small and the long ball in the bottom of the fifth. Rodli and Harrington again got the rally started, this time with back-to-back infield singles. Trigeiro again sacrifice bunted the pair over, but this time Cummings did not play the hero, grounding out to third for the second out of the inning. Luckily, someone else was ready to step up in her stead. Catcher and offensive leader Elizabeth Neckes '08 homered over the left field fence to put Amherst ahead 6-0. The inning ended on a controversial call as designated hitter Ralina Shaw '08E grounded out.
The lift provided by Neckes' home run didn't last for long, as Warner walked the first batter of the inning, Tory Glowacky, who stole second on the next pitch. Sliding into a close play at second, Glowacky fell directly onto shortstop Harrington's ankle, forcing her to leave the game and causing Amherst to move Rodli from second to short and bring in Emily Bulzarik '09 to replace Rodli at second. Three straight singles put Middlebury on the board twice before Warner quashed the rally by introducing a pop-up to center.
Neither team threatened for the final inning, and Amherst came away with its sixth-straight victory.
The streak seemed threatened almost from the beginning of game two. Both teams had one-two-three first innings, but in the top of the second Middlebury exploded against pitcher Samantha Miller '08, scoring six runs on six hits and an error. Miller regained her composure to pitch scoreless third, fourth and fifth innings, and Amherst responded with a renewed offensive effort. In the bottom of the fourth, an infield single by Neckes and doubles by Shaw and third baseman Caroline Polales '07 put two on the board for the Jeffs. In the bottom of the fifth, a pinch-hit single by Alexa Princi '09 and another single by Trigeiro sparked a mini-rally as the Jeffs scored an unearned run to cut the Panthers' original six-run lead in half.
In the top of the sixth, it looked like Miller had Middlebury on the ropes as the first two batters flew out to first base. Back-to-back triples and a double scored the Panthers two more runs, and Miller gave way to Warner, who got the final out.
The first two Amherst batters made outs, and as the sun began to go down and temperatures dropped further, it looked like the Jeffs were going to be frozen out of the contest. But two-out singles by rightfielder Kelly King '08 and leftfielder Rachel Hoerger '06 and a Panther error on a Rodli ground ball loaded the bases for Trigeiro, who singled up the middle to score two runs. With runners on first and second and two outs still on the board, Cummings hit a deep line drive that got past the centerfielder. Rodli ran home, and Trigeiro rounded second and headed to third, as per the instructions of Head Coach Lynn Hersey in the third-base box. A perfect throw beat Trigeiro to the base, but the run scored, bringing Amherst to within two.
But the Jeffs could not get it together for a final rally in the seventh, and the Panthers went home with the win, ending Amherst's winning streak.
"I think we definitely showed a lot of heart in the second game, especially coming back at the end," said Warner. "We just need to work on starting with the same intensity from the first inning, and we'll be in good shape."
The streak had stretched to five games on Thursday afternoon at Wellesley College, as Warner scattered four hits and senior co-captain Rachel Hoerger had two hits in the 3-1 victory.
The Jeffs take a break from NESCAC West competition until April 22. This afternoon Amherst travels to Westfield State College for a doubleheader, and tomorrow Bates College visits for a non-conference twinbill.
NESCAC Notes
Warner leads the league in strikeouts with 95, while Neckes holds the second-highest batting average (.477) in the conference. On Saturday, Williams College and Wesleyan University's doubleheader in Williamstown, Mass. was called because of cold; the game was rescheduled for Sunday at Amherst. Williams dominated both games, outscoring Wesleyan by 16 runs.