AMHERST, Mass. – After falling into an early 5-1 deficit, the Amherst College softball team rallied behind a two-hit, 3-RBI effort by Lulu Leppard to defeat Bates College 8-7 in their second game. The Mammoths dropped their first game against the Bobcats 5-2 in extra innings.

Amherst improved to 11-10 overall and 2-6 in the NESCAC while Bates improved to 14-8 on the season and 6-4 in the conference. The Mammoths will return to action on Sunday (April 13^th) as they host a series against Bowdoin College at 12 p.m. and 2 p.m. on the Amherst Softball Field.

Game Two: Amherst College 8, Bates College 7
*The Mammoths got on the scoreboard first as Senior Dani Torres Werra singled to third base, leading Leppard to cross the plate and first-year Abby Rebhan to reach third.

*Bates fought back to notch a five-run second inning. An unearned fielder's choice, a two-RBI double to right center, and two singles blasted the Bobcats into the lead, 5-1.

*A single up the middle from senior America Rangel weakened the margin to 5-2, and a stunning triple from Leppard led two more Amherst runners to make their way around the diamond, 5-4.

*Torres Werra shut down the Bates bats with a perfect third inning as the pitcher struck out all three batters in a row.

*The fourth inning was an even affair as both teams took a point. Sophomore Isabel Bettencourt hit a groundout for Bates and Leppard smashed a double to left center field for Amherst to take a point apiece.

*Amherst rallied to take the lead in the fifth inning as back-to-back doubles to left center field from junior Dylan Briggs and sophomore Anna Primozic put the Mammoths ahead at 7-6.

*A home run from Bettencourt tied the game 7-7 in the final frame, but a sacrifice fly from sophomore Heidi Li scored Jenna Holmes with the game-winning run in the Amherst half of the seventh.

* The Mammoths had 14 its in the win as Rangel went 4 for 4 with an RBI and 2 runs scored. Primozic was 2 for 2 with an RBI and a a run scored. Torres Werra, Briggs and Leppard each had 2 hits. 

* Torres Werra evened her record at 3-3 with solid innings of relief. She allowed two runs on three hits, did not walk a batter and struck out seven Bobcats.

Game One: Bates College 5, Amherst College 2 (8 inn.)

*Rangel notched the first hit of the game in the bottom of the first, reaching on a single to right field.

*The second inning was a hitless affair as strong pitching from Amherst junior Abby Moravek and Bates junior Delaney Ranking kept the contest neck-and-neck.

*Bates threatened to score in the top of the third inning as two walks and a sacrifice fly to right field brought runners to first and third base. But a grab from Leppard secured Bates' third out and stopped their offensive momentum.

*Torres Werra put Amherst on the scoreboard in the bottom of the fourth. Torres Werra smashed an RBI triple deep into center field, leading Briggs to cross the plate and score the game's first point, 1-0.

*Junior Olivia Aitkin made a spectacular diving grab in the top of the fifth to produce Bates' second out.

*Senior Grace Householt scored the equalizer for Bates in the sixth inning as a wild pitch with bases loaded led her to cross the plate, 1-1.

*In the eighth inning, Bates exploded into the lead as junior Ella Maher hit a double to right center with bases loaded, racking up three runs for the visitors, 4-1. They added one more in the last play of the stanza as sophomore Zariya Anderson hit a single to make it 5-1.

*Amherst responded with a run in the eighth inning, scoring on a fielding error, but the Mammoths could not overcome the deficit.