Courtesy of Hamilton Sports Information

CLINTON, N.Y. – The Amherst College softball team broke open a 2-2 tie with three runs in the fifth and six innings to defeat NESCAC West rival Hamilton, 5-2 at Freguson Field.

Following the win, the Jeffs improved to 19-9 overall on the year and 5-5 in conference play while dropping the Continentals to 11-20 overall and 2-8 in the league.

Hamilton brought the tying run to the plate in the fifth after Ellie Kiernan '15 beat out a one-out infield single and Sarah Moore '16 singled to left one out later before Amherst pitcher Jackie Buechler '17 speared a line drive to end the Continental threat.

In the seventh, Hannah Staab '17 led off with a double down the right field line but the Jeffs retired the next three batters.

Staab and Kiernan both had two of Hamilton's eight hits and combined to put the Continentals ahead in the first. Staab singled to open the inning then moved to second on a wild pitch and took third on a single by Kelly Leonard '15 before Kiernan's infield grounder gave Hamilton a 1-0 lead.

Nicolette Miranda '16 and Kelsey Ayers '15 scored Amherst's runs in the third to put the Jeffs up 2-1. Miranda led off with a double and scored on a single by Kaitlin Silkowitz '14 before Ayers beat out a bunt and was driven home on a single from Brianna Cook '16.

The Continentals tied the score with an unearned run in the bottom of the third on a single by Chelsea Merritt. Merritt's hit scored Kiernan, who had singled and advanced to second on an outfield error.

Alena Marovitz '17 tripled in the go-ahead run in the fifth, two batters after Ayers led off with a single. Ayers collected her third hit of the game an inning later with a single to drive home two insurance runs. Miranda and Annie Apffel '17, who reached on a pinch-hit single, scored on the play. Miranda, Silkowitz and Marovitz each finished with two hits.

Buechler earned the complete-game win, allowing two runs (one earned) on eight hits and striking out four batters.

The two teams are scheduled to play a noon doubleheader Saturday, Apr. 26.