CLERMONT, Fla. – Donna Leet '15 drove in six runs on a three-run home run and a bases-clearing double to lead the Amherst College softball team to a 10-1 five-inning win over the University of Dubuque as the Jeffs split a pair of contests at the NTC Games on Friday. Amherst suffered a 1-0 shutout to Wisconsin-Stevens Point in the opener before rebounding to the tune of 14 hits in the nightcap as the Jeffs moved to 7-3 on the year.

In the opener, UWSP (7-1) quieted the Amherst bats thanks to a strong pitching performance from senior Michelle Jones and a pair of diving catches from rightfielder Katie Shulfer. Caroline Sealander '15 pitched well for the Jeffs, but ran into trouble in the fourth inning when the Pointers tallied back-to-back two-out singles. Amherst head coach Whitney Mollica Goldstein turned to Arielle Doering '14 in relief, but a third single from UWSP plated the game's lone run before Doering got out of the frame.

Brianna Cook '16 was the lone Jeff with multiple hits off of Jones as she went 2-for-3. Doering struck out four over 2.2 solid innings of relief before Theresa Kelley '13 came on to fan the final two Pointers in the seventh.

The Amherst bats awoke in emphatic fashion against Dubuque, however, as Karina Kossler '15 complemented Leet's slugging with a 3-for-3 day. With Kelley keeping the Spartans quiet on the rubber, the Jeffs scored single runs in the first and third with Carolyn Miller '14 and Reilly Horan '13 collecting RBI singles. 

Dubuque made it a one-run game in the bottom of the third as Kelley was touched for her first home run of the season, but the Amherst bats would soon render the blast all but meaningless as the Jeffs plated five in the fourth. Helping her own cause, Kelley ripped a triple to start things before Kossler drover her in with a single and back-to-back singles from Kelsey Ayers '15 and Kaitlin Silkowitz '14 made it 4-1. With a pair of teammates aboard, Leet broke it open, blasting the team's first round-tripper of the season and the fourth of her career to cap the big inning.

With Nicolette Miranda '16 coming on to relieve Kelley, the Jeffs positioned themselves for the mercy rule-shortened decision with three two-out runs in the top of the fifth. Consecutive singles from Kossler, Ayers and Silkowitz loaded the bases and Leet cashed in as she laced a three-run double to continue her powerful day at the plate.

Miranda tossed a pair of scoreless relief frames to close out the win as five Jeffs tallied multiple hits. Along with Leet and Kossler's productivity, Silkowitz and Miller each went 2-for-3 while Ayers was 2-for-4. As a team, Amherst is now batting .368 on the spring while Silkowitz, Leet, Miller and Kossler are each above the .400 mark.

The Jeffs play their final two games in Florida on Saturday, facing Southern Maine at 9 a.m. and SUNY Oneonta at 11 a.m. with both contests taking place at Hancock Park (Field 1).

BOX SCORE VS. STEVENS POINT

BOX SCORE VS. DUBUQUE