The purple and white clinched their first NESCAC playoff spot since 2012 with a 10-inning win against Wesleyan on Saturday. The team followed up a solid 9-6 win over Western New England University during the week with a commanding victory, 11-2. The weekend saw two low-scoring games with Wesleyan, followed by the final 9-7 win that sent the team to the post-season.
The softball team’s week included two strong wins, but it was marred by a few frustrating losses. The purple and white split their Wednesday double-header with a strong Keene State University team and lost two games in a series of three against NESCAC rival Williams.
The softball team heads into its next week of games coming off its strongest weekend yet. Winning four out of four games against non-conference foes Smith and Bates, they are looking to continue this winning streak through the final fortnight of their season.
The Amherst softball team hosted Hamilton for a three-game series this weekend. During the week, the team enjoyed a reprieve from its packed schedule when its double-header against MCLA on Wednesday was canceled due to snow. Rejuvenated and strong from a week of practices, they faced Hamilton in the first of three games on Friday evening.
Winning three of their four scheduled home games in the past week, the softball team has been as successful as they have been busy.
After splitting Wednesday’s doubleheader with Worchester Polytechnic Institute, the purple and white destroyed NESCAC rival Middlebury in the first two games of the three-game series with the Panthers. The outcome of the final game remains to be seen, as it was suspended after five innings due to darkness after several rain delays and is to be completed at a later date.
The softball team returned from Florida touting a strong 8-3 record. The beginning of the season was a grind for the team, with five double-headers over the spring break week. The team scored 63 runs and amassed an on-base percentage of .389 in 11 games. Leading the strong first-year class were Lorena Ukanwa, who led the team’s pitchers with 28 strikeouts, and Kyra Naftel, who sustained an eight-game multi-hit streak and ended the week as the only batter to manage at least one hit in each game.
When asked about his team’s quarterfinal victory this weekend, Amherst men’s ice hockey coach Jack Arena’s face was overwhelmed by his joyful grin. “It was crazy. Just crazy,” he said, shaking his head. Arena could be referring to many things about the game — the fact that sixth-seeded Amherst took down third-seeded Bowdoin, 8-5, the fact that the purple and white tallied six goals in the third period, or the fact that they fought back from a 3-0 deficit early in the game. The final period was surreal for the Amherst team, who put as many pucks in the net as saved shots on goal.
