BRUNSWICK, Maine -- Bates and Amherst split a NESCAC doubleheader Saturday, with the Mammoths taking the opener 3–1 before the Bobcats responded with a 5–2 victory in game two.
The contests were played at Pickard Diamond on the campus of Bowdoin College.
In the nightcap, Bates' took advantage of four runs over the first two innings and a steady outing in the circle from
Isabella Albro to secure the split. C
Isabel Bettencourt powered the offense, going 3-for-3 with a two-run single and a solo homer, while SS
Ella Maher scored twice. Albro limited Amherst to four hits over seven innings, allowing just two runs as the Mammoths mounted a late push.
Amherst claimed game one behind a complete-game effort from Abby Moravek, who struck out nine and allowed just one run. The Mammoths struck early with a solo home run in the first and added another long ball in the third before tacking on an insurance run in the seventh. Bates broke through in the fifth on an RBI double from Maher, but couldn't close the gap despite seven hits in the contest.
GAME ONE
Amherst wasted little time getting on the board, as SS Lulu Leppard led off the scoring with a solo home run in the first inning. The Mammoths added to the lead in the third when 1B Abby Rebhan connected on another solo shot to make it 2–0.
Bates generated its best opportunity in the second, loading the bases with no outs, but Moravek worked out of the jam with back-to-back strikeouts and a called third strike to keep the Bobcats off the board.
The Bobcats broke through in the fifth. 2B Maddy Miller led off with a single and eventually came around to score on Maher's double down the left-field line, trimming the deficit to 2–1.
Amherst added an insurance run in the seventh on a sacrifice fly, and Moravek closed the door from there, finishing the complete-game effort with nine strikeouts. LF Sienna Pietrasiewicz recorded two hits while Delaney Rankin (3-3) went the distance for the Bobcats (7.0 IP, 8 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 7 K).
GAME TWO
Bates seized control early and didn't let go.
After pushing across an unearned run in the first, the Bobcats broke things open in the second inning. Bettencourt delivered the big swing with a two-run single as part of a three-run frame, giving Bates a 4–0 advantage.
Bettencourt added to the lead in the fifth, launching a solo home run to left field to make it 5–0.
Albro handled the rest. The junior hurler kept Amherst off the board through six innings before the Mammoths put together a two-run rally in the seventh, highlighted by back-to-back RBI hits. Albro (2-0) regrouped to record the final outs and secure the win (7.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, BB, K).
Bettencourt finished 3-for-3 with three RBIs to pace the Bates offense, while Maher reached three times and scored a pair of runs.
The Bobcats immediately return to action Sunday with a NESCAC twin-bill scheduled at No. 11 Tufts, commencing at 1:00 p.m.
