The Lady Jeffs swept a doubleheader against the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts last week before dropping two of three against Wesleyan over the weekend, bringing their record to 22-11 (4-8 NESCAC West). The Jeffs had no problem dispatching the Trailblazers (10-18) but could not solve Cardinal first-year Su Pardo, who allowed just six hits and two runs in two complete-game victories. Theresa Kelley ’13, Caroline Sealander ’15 and Arielle Doering ’14 picked up wins with strong efforts, as Doering went the distance in game two against Wesleyan.

On Wednesday, the Jeffs needed just five innings to pick up a 10-2 mercy-rule victory over MCLA in the first game, exploding for nine combined runs in the third and fourth innings. Reilly Horan ’13, who was 3-3 for the game, started the scoring in the second with a leadoff double, eventually scoring on a double steal.

In the third, a Kelsey Ayers ’15 leadoff triple set the tone for the inning. Ayers came home on a double steal, and after a walk Horan doubled and Brianna Cook ’16 singled to make it 5-2. Sealander ended the scoring by coming home on a Sarah McKay ’16 single. Horan capped off her spectacular game with a two-RBI single in the fourth, and Sealander again helped her own cause with a two-out, two-run blast. First-year Nicolette Miranda came on in relief and settled down after walking two to work out of a bases-loaded jam and preserve the mercy-rule ending.

Kelley and Doering dominated the Trailblazer bats in the nightcap, allowing three hits and striking out 12. The Jeffs used aggressive baserunning and a couple of key errors to manufacture two runs in the early going before Doering’s two-run double in the sixth provided insurance in a 4-1 victory.

Wesleyan (24-7) came in tied with Middlebury atop the West division and quickly showed why, getting to Kelley early in a 5-2 victory. The Jeffs struck first, as Horan continued her hot streak with another RBI double.

The Cardinals, however, struck back with three in the frame, with a walk and a single setting up a two-run double. The Jeff defense then suffered a momentary lapse, as a Wesleyan batter reached on an error and then stole second, with an overthrow on the steal allowing another run to score.

Wesleyan added runs in the second and third inning, providing Pardo with more than enough support as she scattered five hits over seven innings. The Jeffs’ final run came courtesy of a fifth-inning Ayers double.

Saturday began well, as the Jeffs started strong and held on to win an entertaining 7-5 game. Wesleyan’s starter had serious control issues and lasted less than an inning, walking five before leaving the game as Amherst scored three in the frame. The Jeffs added two more in the second but left the bases loaded as the Cardinal starter incredibly re-entered the game and recorded a strikeout.

The teams traded runs over the next three innings before Wesleyan made it close again, scoring two in the top of the sixth to make it 6-4. After her wild pitch allowed the second run to score, Doering bore down and recorded two groundouts to strand the tying run on second.

Carolyn Miller ’14 tacked on an insurance run with a solo shot in the bottom half of the inning. Wesleyan got the run back with an unearned, two-out run, but Doering shut the door, inducing a comebacker to end the game.

The rubber game was an anti-climactic five-inning affair, as Pardo one-hit Amherst and Wesleyan rocked the Jeffs for eight runs. The Cardinals began their scoring in the first with a two-run homer, and added three runs in the third thanks to a string of two-out hits.

Wesleyan secured the mercy rule in the top of the fourth, again starting the inning with two straight outs before recording three singles and two walks in a three-run frame. Sealander came on and pitched a scoreless fifth in relief of Kelley, but the offense couldn’t get anything going, with Rutherford providing the sole offense and breaking up the no-no in the third.

The Jeffs finish their season with two non-conference matchups, hosting Elms on Wednesday before traveling to Keene State for a doubleheader on Friday.