NORTHAMPTON, Mass. – A flyout from first-year Lulu Leppard and a double from first-year Abby Rebhan rolled the Mammoths into the lead Wednesday afternoon, leading the Amherst softball team to rally past Smith College and secure a neck-and-neck 5-4 victory.

With the win, Amherst improved to 10-9 on the season. Smith dropped to 5-14 overall. The Mammoths will return home to host their first game of the season against Bates on Saturday (April 12^th), where they'll face the Bobcats in a doubleheader at 12 p.m. and 2 p.m.

GAME HIGHLIGHTS:

*Smith sophomore Bailey Gray began the first inning with a double to center field, leading two runners to cross the plate and put the Pioneers on the board first, 2-0.

*Amherst responded with a strong second inning. First-year May Mishima reached first off a single to right center, stole second, then found third on a wild pitch. Finally, she crossed the plate as Leppard smashed a flyout to left field, 2-1.

*Hard work from inside the circle kept Smith hitless in the second inning as junior Abby Moravek struck out two batters.

*Following a scoreless third inning for both sides, the Mammoths exploded into the lead as  Leppard hit a flyout to left field to score a run and Rebhan whacked a double to right center to add a second for a 4-2 lead.

*Strong fieldwork from Amherst continued into the fifth inning as two consecutive ground outs and a left-field flyout stalled Smith's momentum.

*Smith narrowed Amherst's lead to 4-3 in the bottom of the sixth as a ground out from sophomore Ava Lansbury notched a late run for the Pioneers.

*Amherst added a run in the final frame as Mishima hit a single to second base to make it 5-3. Smith responded with a run of their own as Gray sent a single to right center, but the Mammoths held on to conclude the contest 5-4.

*The Mammoths had nine hits. Rebhan, Mishima and Kong were all 2 for 3 at the plate. Moravek notched four strikeouts, throwing a complete game three-hitter to earn the win.