AMHERST, Mass. -- Bates and Amherst went toe-to-toe Friday, each delivering a gut-punch of a win in a thriller of a softball twin-bill. The Bobcats stunned the Mammoths with a four-run rally in extra innings to take game one, only for Amherst to return the favor in game two, walking it off in the seventh to earn a hard-fought split.
GAME ONE
In a dramatic opener, Bates College stormed back in extra innings to defeat Amherst College 5–2, riding a four-run outburst in the top of the eighth to seal the victory.
For seven innings, it was a classic pitchers' duel with both teams trading zeroes and clutch outs. Amherst struck first in the bottom of the fourth, when Dani Torres Werra ripped an RBI triple to right-center to bring home Dylan Briggs for a 1–0 lead. Bates answered in the sixth, capitalizing on back-to-back fielding errors and a wild pitch that allowed RF
Grace Householter to dash home from third and knot the score at 1–1.
The game stayed deadlocked into extras, with the Bobcats finally cracking the code in the eighth. After two quick outs,
Sophie Garber lined a single to center and was replaced at first base by pinch runner
Emily Kennedy. Back-to-back singles by
Misora Hashiramo and
Emma Yen loaded the bases for
Ella Maher, who delivered the biggest swing of the game—a booming three-run double to right-center that cleared the bases and broke the game wide open.
Zariya Anderson followed with an RBI single to plate Maher, capping a five-hit, four-run explosion that electrified the Bates bench.
Amherst managed to scratch across an unearned run in the bottom half, but
Delaney Rankin (9-2) was in control in the circle all game long. The junior tossed a complete-game gem, allowing just six hits and striking out five (one walk) across eight innings.
GAME TWO
It was Amherst who had the last word in the nightcap, securing an 8–7 walk-off win to salvage the split in a see-saw slugfest that featured 24 hits.
Bates, fresh off its game one dramatics, erupted for five runs in the second inning, fueled by clutch hits and an Amherst miscue.
Maddy Miller drilled a two-run double and Maher and
Isabel Bettencourt each delivered RBI knocks, permitting the Bobcats to seize a 5–1 lead.
Amherst came roaring back, plating three in the second behind a bases-clearing triple from Lulu Leppard. The Mammoths chipped away again in the fourth and fifth and powered forward with a five-run response that gave the Mammoths their first lead of the game at 7–6.
Down by one in top of the seventh, the Bobcats tied things up in thrilling fashion as Bettencourt launched her team-leading third homer of the season to knot the score at 7–7.
The home team had one last answer. After pinch-hitter Jenna Holmes drew a leadoff walk and advanced to third on a wild pitch and groundout, Heidi Li lifted a deep fly to right field. plating Holmes with the walk-off sacrifice fly.
The Mammoths (11-10, 2-6 NESCAC) collected 14 hits in the game, led by America Rangel (4-for-4, 2 R, RBI) and Leppard (2-for-4, 3 RBI). Torres, who notched the win in relief, went 2-for-4 at the plate and threw five innings of two-run ball with seven strikeouts to seal the victory.
Despite the loss, Bates had plenty of bright spots with the bat. Bettencourt finished 2-for-4 with three RBI, including the game-tying homer, while Householter continued her tear at the plate, going 3-for-4.
The garnet and white (14-8, 6-4 NESCAC) will close its conference road trip Sunday by playing a pair at Hamilton . First-pitch is scheduled for 11:00 a.m.
