MEDFORD, Mass. – The fourth-seeded Colby College softball team held off a late comeback attempt in the top of seventh inning in a New England Small College Athletic Conference quarterfinal round matchup with fifth-seeded Middlebury College to advance to NESCAC semifinals with an 8-5 victory.

Middlebury (24-15) got on the scoreboard first in the top of the first inning off a sacrifice fly. Colby (17-19) knotted the contest at 1-1 in the bottom of the frame via an RBI ground out by junior Carissa Cassidy.

The Mules took the lead in the second stanza with six runs off five hits, highlighted by a two-run triple by senior Erika MacLeod, for a 7-1 advantage.

The Panthers started to chip away at their deficit with a run in the fourth on an RBI single to left center field before pulling within four (7-3) two innings later.

Junior Emma Burnham increased the Mules' lead back to five (8-3) in the home half on a sacrifice fly to left field.

Middlebury put together a rally in the seventh after scoring on an RBI double to left field and a bases loaded walk to make it an 8-5 contest. The Mules inserted freshman Sophia Meade into the circle, striking out the lone batter she faced for the three-run victory and her sixth save of the season.

Junior KC DeSarno picked up her sixth victory of the season after allowing five runs (four earned) off seven hits with two strikeouts in 6.2 innings.

Sophomore Ella Wilcox, Burnham, Cassidy, freshman Avery Lyman and MacLeod all had hits for the Mules while Burnham, Cassidy and MacLeod each drove in two runs in the victory.

Colby is back in action tomorrow when it takes on top-seed and host Tufts University in a NESCAC Semifinal game at 9:30 a.m. with a trip to the NESCAC championship game on the line at Spicer Field.