Middlebury, VT - Conceding runs late-on would be a counterproductive theme on the day as the Clarkson University Softball team dropped both games of a doubleheader, 8-3 and 10-2 (five innings), to Middlebury, Saturday in the Green Mountain State.
Clarkson moves to 0-2 following the first contests of 2026 and will return to action on spring break in March in Florida following two weeks off from games. Middlebury improves to 2-0.
Each team was quiet offensively through the first five innings of the game. Middlebury was the first to challenge, loading the bases with two outs before a lineout ended the threat, though the Panthers had gotten into that position with the benefit of just one hit, their only hit for the first five frames. Clarkson was hitless until the fifth when Maddie Throumoulos led off with a double and then came around to score on Ivy Borkoski's single to center.
Things appeared to open up for both teams in the sixth. First, it was Clarkson plating a pair in the top half of the inning. Ryleigh Fontana poked an infield single and then stole second, eventually moving to third on a wild pitch when Isabel Haspil walked. Haspil then stole second and Kaelyn Buehler followed with a walk to load the bases. Ry Garcia delivered a two-run single to center to put the score at 3-0.
Middlebury responded with a busy bottom half of the inning. The first blow of the inning was a one-out McKenna Lont single and a fielding error that allowed three runs to score, tying the game up. Olivia Fleming then singled to plate Lont and Kristyn Carroll reached on an error, allowing two more runs to come around, making it 6-3. Olivia Scholes later followed with a single to right, scoring two more and polishing off Middlebury's eight-run sixth.
Bella Hotchkiss ended up with a no-decision, pitching five frames and giving up just one hit and one walk while striking out three. Ry Garcia ended up with the loss, giving up eight runs, though only two were earned during the tough sixth inning for the Knights. McKenna Lont gained the win for the Panthers, striking out 12 in six innings, allowing four hits and three walks.Â
Game two did not see the Panthers struggle offensively at the outset as they did in the first contest. A hit by pitch and a walk put two runners on without the benefit of a hit, but Olivia Fleming came through with a home run down the left field line, plating herself and the two other base runners to make it 3-0.Â
The hosts added a fourth in the bottom of the third as Lont would rip a single up the middle to plate Carroll who had led the inning off with a single to left before advancing on a sac bunt and stolen base.Â
Clarkson would manage to break the egg on the scoreboard in the top of the fifth capitalizing on a Lexi Rydelek double to start the inning. Buehler would be entered as a pinch runner for Rydelek and move to second after Kendall Cuyler was hit by a pitch. Kelsea Flanagan would then bring across both runners with a double to right center with the RBIs accounting for a career-first while cutting the lead back to 4-2.Â
Middlebury would go on to add six more in the bottom of the fifth with four singles, a triple and a homerun, extending the advantage to 10-2 enforcing the eight-run mercy rule.Â
As a team Clarkson would finish with just four hits overall to Middleburys' 10 while striking out just twice. Emily Bulone would finish with two as Rydelek and Flanagan added one apiece. Amanda Corrice would be handed the loss in game two giving up three hits and four earned runs while striking out two over two and 2/3rds innings. Janzen Long would give up just one hit in just over an inning while Briana Dieckmann would manage to get one out in the bottom of the fifth before the lead would grow to eight. Mia Gilham would allow just four hits with one strikeout over four innings, receiving the win for the Panthers.
