Middlebury College's Alec Ritch doubled, homered, walked twice and drove in three runs as the Panthers took the NESCAC West Division season series with a 10-8 win against the Hamilton College Continentals at Hamilton's Loop Road Athletic Complex on Wednesday.
 
The Continentals (15-14, 6-5 NESCAC West) outhit the Panthers 12-9, but trailed from the third inning on after Middlebury's four-run third. Hamilton hosts Utica University for the Jackie Robinson Classic on Monday, May 2 at 4:15 p.m.
 
The Panthers (20-8, 7-2) won two out of three games this season against the Continentals after the teams split a doubleheader back on April 2. Middlebury currently sits in first place in the West Division.
 
Phil Bernstein '23, Ethan Harrast '23, Greg Kopp '25 and Shane Dux '24 led Hamilton at the plate with two hits each. Jackson Sattinger '24 collected his first collegiate grand slam and fourth home run this season in the eighth when he entered the game as a pinch hitter. Gavin Schaefer-Hood '22, Jack Griffin '24 and Jay Schlaefer '23 added one hit each.
 
The Continentals struck first with a run in the bottom of the first. Harrast hit a single up the middle with one out and Dux later drove him in with a two-out single through the left side. The Panthers evened the score with a run in the second and took the lead for good with four in the third.
 
Hamilton plated two runs in the fourth and cut its deficit to 5-3. Griffin started the inning with a shot to right center for a stand-up double and advanced to third on a groundout. Harrast drove Griffin home on a triple to deep left center, and Kopp's second single of the day scored Harrast. Ritch, who started on the mound and stayed in the game as the designated hitter, hit a bomb over the left field fence in the fifth for a 6-3 lead.
 
The Continentals took the run back in the sixth after they worked Middlebury's pitcher for four walks. Hamilton drew a total of 10 free passes on the day. Middlebury tacked on three runs in the eighth inning for a 9-4 advantage, but Hamilton refused to go down quietly. Sattinger roped a grand slam over the wall in right center in the bottom half of the frame, and the Continentals closed to within a run.
 
The Panthers plated their last run in the ninth as Ritch walked, stole second and came home on a double by Mitchell Schroeder. Middlebury closer George Goldstein picked up his fourth save of the season by allowing one single and getting the last four outs.