Saratoga Springs, NY-The Castleton State College softball team dropped both games of a double header at Skidmore College 5-1, and 8-6. The Spartans fall to 0-4 on the season and will open their conference schedule on Saturday at Bay Path College.

Game 1: Skidmore jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning, thanks in part to a pair of un-earned runs. The Thoroughbreds tacked on single runs in the third and fifth innings en-route to the win. Castleton's lone run came in the top of the sixth when freshman Cassandra Koehne singled and eventually stole home after a Whitney Grassley single and Tosha Whittemore walk. Laura Rogers started and went the distance, allowing three earned while striking out three in the loss.

Game 2: Once again the Thoroughbreds jumped out to an early lead, plating five runs (three earned) in the first inning.

Castleton answered with four in the top of the second to pull within one. The Spartans capitalized on five walks in the inning. Angie Carpenter walked to start the inning, and moved to second on Alicia Zraunig's walk. Allison Lamay singled, but Carpenter was gunned down trying to score from second to put runners at first and second. With two outs in the inning Brandy White singled to load the bases and Hilary Bemis walked to plate the first Spartan run. Laura Rogers then singled in a pair before back-to-back walks plated the final run of the inning. A pop-out ended the rally with the bases loaded.

It was as close as Castleton would come as Skidmore plated one in the fourth and two more (one earned) in the fifth to earn the win. Cassie Koehne walked, had a pair of hits including a double and stolen base to lead the offense.

Castleton returns to action on Saturday with a 1:00 pm NAC double header at Bay Path.