Softball took care of business over the weekend in an important pair of doubleheaders against NESCAC foes, winning three of its four games to gain momentum heading into the postseason. After splitting a doubleheader at home against the Amherst Mammoths (17-16, 7-9 NESCAC), the Ephs’ offense picked up steam on Sunday against the Colby Mules (12-19, 6-8 NESCAC), setting them up for 13-4 and 9-1 victories in their Senior Day home games.
The team went into Friday’s games against Amherst focused on the big moment. “Every time we get a chance to play, we take it seriously,” pitcher Sadie Leonard ’26 said. “But especially [with] conference games, it matters a lot. There’s a rivalry [with Amherst] — that matters for sure.”
In game one on Friday, the Ephs jumped out of the gate with three runs in the third inning, laying the groundwork for a 9-2 victory. Four Ephs finished with multiple hits, led by co-captain Sydney Fleming ’25, who went 2-for-3 with a home run and three RBIs.
Fleming credited the team’s hitting approach for its strong offensive performance. “Our preparation was focusing on quality at-bats,” she said. “We have a checklist in our dugout. It’s just being really intentional with every at-bat, and stepping up to the plate and having a plan.”
Justine Dunaway ’27, who contributed two hits, including a triple, in the win, also attributed the team’s offensive success to good team morale. “We talk a lot about energy on our team and how that is something we can control,” she said. “I think it was really there in the first game.”
Leonard secured success on the mound for the Ephs, pitching all seven innings and striking out 12. They said that the team’s offensive production aided their pitching performance. “We were having lots of solid contact, and it was really exciting to see the team generate runs like that.”
The Ephs lost game two against the Mammoths in a tight 4-3 affair. Despite another Fleming homer, the team could not hold onto its 3-0 advantage from the first three innings, as the Mammoths manufactured four runs in the fourth and sixth innings to take the win.
“One of our [team] phrases is ‘everything matters,’” Leonard said. “That game was a tough loss because there were lots of moments where, if a little thing had gone differently, if we had made a different play, the game could have swung differently.”
The stats attest to Leonard’s observation, as each team finished with six hits, but a few key errors at big moments by the Ephs allowed Amherst to escape Williamstown with a split in the series.
After the frustration of Friday’s loss, the Ephs took Saturday to unwind and recharge. “We had played 11 games in nine days, so we were just doing what we could to take care of our bodies,” Leonard said.
According to Leonard and Dunaway, the team did intensive stretching, a 20-minute spin session, and held a meeting to journal and share team goals for the rest of the season.
With Sunday came Senior Day — a celebration of the team’s seniors during their final home games. “That day, we were really intentional about being grateful for every second we had on the field, not wanting to take any of the moments that we have left with our seniors for granted,” Leonard said. “I think it was the most fun we’ve had playing in a while.”
Fleming echoed this theme of positivity. “I was really grateful [to be] able to play with my team, and the people I love so much, who are my whole world and my whole heart,” she said.
Fittingly, the Ephs had a stellar showing in both games against Colby on Sunday. In the first, the team won 13-4 in a shortened five innings, due to the mercy rule. Fleming and Dani Jackman ’28 each homered twice, while three other Ephs had multi-hit games, including Kaia Glickman ’25, Katie Blanch ’27, and Alysa DeQuiroz ’26.
The game was Fleming’s fifth straight with a home run, and her second homer of the day broke the program record for RBIs in a season, at 51. “She’s one of the hardest workers I’ve ever met,” Dunaway said. “When it comes to her own success, it is so rewarding for me to see all of her hard work pay off.”
The team continued its offensive momentum in game two of the doubleheader, winning 9-1 in another mercy-rule, five-inning game. “What was so fun about our games yesterday was that we were really passing the bat and so many people were contributing offensively,” Leonard said.
Leonard got their second win of the weekend, finishing with 11 strikeouts and allowing only three hits during the five innings. “Sadie’s awesome. They’re super consistent on the mound — someone we can always count on,” Fleming said.
Up next, the Ephs have one final regular-season series this weekend against the Hamilton Continentals (15-11, 6-8 NESCAC). After that comes the NESCAC tournament, where the Ephs are predicted to be the second seed and make a run at their third consecutive conference title.
And after that? The goal is simple: “Win a natty,” Leonard said.
