AMHERST, Mass. – The Mammoths forced extra innings for the third time in the last four games but Smith College scored four runs in the eighth inning to notch a 5-2 win over the Amherst College softball team as the local rivals collided on Tuesday afternoon at the Amherst Softball Field.

The Pioneers improved to 6-9 with their first win over Amherst since 2015, while the Mammoths fell to 10-4.

The Mammoths are back in action on Friday (April 8), opening up a three-game NESCAC West Division series with Hamilton at 5 p.m.

GAME HIGHLIGHTS:

* The Pioneers pushed a run across in the top of the second inning. Sophomore first baseman Juno Shantz reached on a leadoff single and advanced to third on an error. First-year right fielder Taylor Ang grounded out to drive in Shantz and put Smith on the board.

* The Mammoths tied the game in the bottom of the sixth. Junior left fielder Megan Taketa singled to open the inning, stole second and advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt. Junior shortstop Autumn Lee drove Taketa in with a ground ball that her counterpart in the field couldn't catch up with.

* With extra innings necessary to decide this game, the Pioneers loaded the bases in the top of the eighth and Shantz drew a bases-loaded walk to score the go-ahead run. Sophomore third baseman CeCe Alaniz drove in two more with a single to right and Ang singled through the left side to give the Pioneers a 5-1 lead.

* The Mammoths managed to get one back in the bottom of the seventh when Lee drove in Taketa on a grounder to second but Pioneers sophomore pitcher Lucy Helms ended the game with her eighth strikeout.

BY THE NUMBERS:

* First-year right fielder Dani Torres Werra went 2-for-4 at the plate for the Mammoths.

* Only one of Amherst's last seven games has ended in the usual seven innings. Four games have gone to extra innings and two have ended after five innings due to the run rule.