March 30, 2002
AMHERST, MA – The Amherst College softball team (8-4/2-0 NESCAC) opened its 2002 NESCAC West Division slate with a doubleheader sweep over visiting Middlebury College (3-8/0-2 NESCAC) on Saturday. Senior hurler Lauren Peloquin (Berkley, MA) tossed a two-hit, complete-game shutout as the Jeffs claimed the opener, 3-0. Junior right fielder Tamara Baer (Amherst, NY) then drove in the game-winning run with an eighth-inning RBI-single in the nightcap – a 4-3 Amherst victory.
Peloquin dominated game one, striking out 10 Panthers and allowing only a pair of singles to Middlebury sophomore Michaela George (Ross, CA). Meanwhile, the Jeffs found all the offense they would need with two runs in the third inning off Middlebury reliever Lauren Bowe (Milton, MA). Sophomore third baseman Jess Allen (Chagrin Fall, OH) ignited the rally with a leadoff single, scoring on an infield error three batters later. Sophomore first baseman Gina Scribner (Star, ID) then singled and trotted home on a wild pitch.
Amherst added another insurance tally in the sixth inning. Rookie pinch hitter Liz Staunton (Milton, MA) led off with a perfect drag-bunt base hit down the first-base line, advanced on a sac bunt by classmate Greta Anderson (Newtown, PA) and scored on an RBI-single by Allen to set the final score at 3-0.
Bowe surrendered seven hits and two earned runs in four innings, falling to 0-3 with the loss. Junior Andrea Russo (Abington, MA) drew the game-one start for Middlebury and pitched well, holding Amherst scoreless before exiting the game after the second inning.
Allen, Scribner and Peloquin paced the Jeffs offensively with two hits each.
Amherst junior Emily Melia (Hingham, MA) started the nightcap and pitched three innings of shutout softball, despite being drilled in the chest with a line drive in the first inning. Perhaps feeling the after-effects of the injury, Melia switched to second base while Peloquin took the hill in the fourth. Later that inning, the Jeffs scored a pair of runs on a two-run triple by senior catcher Becca Binder (Scarsdale, NY) and – with Peloquin on the mound – the game seemed well in hand.
Not to be outdone, Middlebury took advantage of Peloquin's rapidly-expanding pitch count with a run in each of the sixth and seventh innings, knotting the score at 2-2 and sending the game into an eighth-inning NCAA tie breaker. In accordance with NCAA rules, each team started its half of the eighth with a runner on second base. Middlebury scored one run in the top of the inning when first-year shortstop Lauren Guza (La Canada, CA) plated George with an RBI-single, placing the pressure squarely on Amherst's shoulders. The Jeffs responded with a pair of runs in the bottom of the inning, thanks to an RBI-double by Scribner and Baer's game-winning single, which scored Scribner from second base. Amherst's late heroics overshadowed an outstanding pitching performance by Middlebury first-year Megan McCarthy (Winter Springs, FL), who went the distance but took the loss to fall to 2-2.
Each team pounded out nine hits in game two. Peloquin – who upped her pitching record to 8-2 with wins in both games – posted her second straight two-hit game for Amherst, while Binder went 2-for-3 with two RBI's. Sophomore center fielder Christina Freyer (Denver, CO) had a strong game for Middlebury, finishing 3-for-4 with a solo home run.
Amherst returns to action Monday at 3:30 p.m. for a doubleheader against visiting non-league foe Smith College.
Click HERE for full game-one box score...
Click HERE for full game-two box score...
