The Middlebury College Panthers scored the go-ahead run in the top of the seventh inning and went on to a 5-3 NESCAC West Division win against the Hamilton College Continentals at Hamilton's Loop Road Baseball/Softball Complex on Friday afternoon.

The same two teams wrap up their NESCAC West Division series with a doubleheader at Loop Road Baseball/Softball Complex on Saturday, April 28. First pitch of Game 1 is scheduled for 11 a.m.

Ethan Wallis '21 and Gavin Schaefer-Hood '21 collected two hits apiece for the Continentals (15-15, 3-6 NESCAC West). Brian Lawson '20 started on the mound and didn't get a decision after he allowed two runs on five hits and four walks and struck out four in five innings. Chris Keane '20 (4-1) took the loss in relief after he allowed two runs (one earned) on one hit in two innings. Mike Borek '18 tossed two scoreless innings and lowered his earned run average to 1.37 in 19.2 innings pitched this year.

Colby Morris (4-4) was the star of the game for Middlebury (11-13, 3-4). Morris pitched all nine innings and gave up one earned run on six hits and three walks. He also fanned six batters. Hayden Smith and Brooks Carroll registered two hits apiece. Sebastian Sanchez drew a pair of walks and scored two runs.

The teams combined to bang out just three hits over the first three-and-a-half innings before Hamilton broke the ice in the bottom of the fourth. Matt Cappelletti '21 reached on an infield error with two outs and went to second on Schaefer-Hood's single through the left side. Jarrett Lee '21 laced a double down the right field line that platd both runners for a 2-0 lead.

The Panthers loaded the bases on a walk and two singles in the top of the fifth. After Lawson got Carroll to swing and miss at strike three for the second out, Alan Guild cracked a single to right that scored Sanchez and Sam Graf, and tied the score at 2-2.

The Continentals went back in front in the bottom of the inning. Wallis reached on an infield single and went to second on a throwing error by the third baseman. He advanced to third base on a ground ball to third and, after Craig Sandford '19 drew a two-out walk, scored on a sharp single to left by Dean Rosenberg '18.

Middlebury tied the score again with an unearned run in the sixth inning on two errors, a fielder's choice, a walk and a sacrifice fly. The Panthers scored the go-ahead run in the seventh inning by playing small ball. Carroll singled to right-center field, stole second, went to third on a wild pitch and scored on a groundout to the shortstop by Grant Elgarten.

Middlebury gave Morris an insurance run in the eighth inning. Sanchez led off with a walk and Justin Han drew another free pass with one out before Smith drove in Sanchez with a single to left.

Hamilton managed to get just one runner on base in the final four innings against Morris.