Troy, NY -The Castleton State College baseball team split a double-header at No. 13 Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, losing the opener 12-4 and bouncing back in game two 6-2.

The nationally-ranked Red Hawks took advantage of some shaky Castleton defense in the opener, scoring six unearned runs on their way to the 12-4 victory.

Castleton jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the second inning when Jon Handy singled, advanced to second on a passed ball, and was singled home by Eric Anderson. Anderson would take second on the throw home, which would prove costly, as Billy Bruneau advanced him with a ground-out to second, allowing him to score easily on Anthony DiPietrantonio's single.

The Red Hawks cut the lead to 2-1 in the bottom of the second, but Phil Puleo's double, followed by a Ryan Bouck RBI single would give the Spartans another two-run cushion. Castleton would allow five runs in the third inning, just one earned and would never get closer as RPI was able to pull away.

Ian Titcomb earned the win in relief for RPI, while Ron Cahill took the loss. Puleo and Bouck were both 2-4 on the afternoon, with Bouck adding a solo homerun in the fifth inning to go along with his RBI single.

In the nightcap Tom Cummings twirled a complete game five-hitter, allowing earned, while striking out six to earn the win.

Castleton struggled to get their offense going early on Red Hawk starter, Andy Opperman allowed just one hit through the first four innings.

The Spartans would score a pair of runs in the fifth off of Opperman as Chris Ragis singled and stole second, Billy Bruneau walked and Jon Handy sacrificed them to second and third with just the one out. Shawn Horvath then singled home Ragis, and moved Bruneau to third to tie the score at one. Kevin McPeek added a sacrifice fly to chase Opperman.

The Red Hawks came back to tie the score in the bottom of the inning but Castleton took advantage of two RPI miscues to plate four unearned runs in the sixth and escape with the win.

Castleton now stands at 6-7 and is hoping to get their North Atlantic Conference opener versus Elms College in on Saturday, April 7. No. 13 RPI is currently 12-4.