Amherst Softball Stays Perfect in the NESCAC, Downs Hamilton, 10-2

AMHERST, Mass – The Amherst College softball team extended its win streak to three after beating Hamilton College, 10-2 in game one of the three-game NESCAC West set Friday afternoon at the Amherst Softball Field.

Records
Hamilton (8-9, 1-1)
Amherst (12-4, 3-0)

GAME HIGHLIGHTS: Amherst 10, Hamilton 2

• The first two innings remained scoreless for both teams before Amherst put up four runs in the third while Hamilton answered back with one. With a pitcher's duel for the next three innings allowing no runs on either side, the Purple & White broke it open in the top of the seventh scoring six runs before the Continentals scored their second run of the game in the bottom of the seventh.
• First-year Sammy Salustri reached first on a one-out walk in the top of the third before senior Brianna Cook reached on a fielder's choice. With back-to-back singles from classmates Alena Marovitz '17 and Lauren Tuiskula '17, Cook scored to put the first run on the board.
• With runners on second and third, Annie Murphy '19 launched a three-run home run to left center to put Amherst up, 4-1.
• In the bottom half of the inning, Jodi Weiss reached when she was hit by a pitch before Liz Brautiga cracked a two-out triple to right center to drive in the run.
• A leadoff walk by Kyra Naftel '19 in the top of the seventh frame started the six-run rally for the Purple & White. Salustri reached on an error that advance Naftel to second. Cook ripped her second base hit of the night to score Naftel before Marovitz reached on a fielder's choice. Tuiskula then walked to load the bases for Amherst. A sac fly to left field by Murphy allowed Cook to score for her fourth RBI of the night. Annie Appfel '17 notched a two-run double to left before first-year Julia Turner switched places with Appfel on second to help the Purple & White take a commanding, 10-1 lead.
• For the Continentals in the last of the seventh inning, Caroline Chivily reached on Amherst's  error and advanced to second. An Ashleah Yraguirre single scored Chivily for Hamilton's second run of the game.
• Jackie Beuchler '17 earned her first win of the season allowing just one run in six innings with no walks, striking out six.

BY THE NUMBERS

• Naftel continues to excel at the plate, extending her hit streak to 16 games.
• Appfel led the Purple & White at the plate going 2-for-3 with a double, two RBI, and a run scored. Cook added two singles for Amherst going 2-for-4 with 2 runs scored and an RBI
• The Amherst softball team notched nine hits for 10 runs in the victory.