Castleton, VT-Plymouth State second baseman, Grant Livingston took home on a double-steal in the top of the ninth to score what would prove to be the winning run as the Panthers downed Castleton 9-8 in non-conference baseball action.

Plymouth State jumped out to an early 7-0 lead as Castleton starter Billy Bruneau struggled through three innings, allowing all seven runs (six earned) on five hits and three walks while striking out two. Kevin Levandowski provided a two-run double in the first, and singled and scored in the third to provide much of the damage. Jim VanGysen added a solo homerun in the second, while John Pogorzelski walked and scored and added an rbi-single.

Castleton got a run back in the fourth as Chris Ragis walked and came around to score on Marlin Froese's rbi-single. The Spartans put together a five-run eighth inning as nine men came to the plate. The inning started with five consecutive hits, including an rbi-triple from Brad Polcare. Polcare was followed by an rbi-single from Kyle Brooks, a single from Dan Conley and an rbi-single from Ragis. Oliver Aldrich added the final rbi-single of the inning before the Panthers could get out  of the inning still holding onto an 8-6 lead headed into the ninth.

Livingston reached on single to left-center to lead off the inning, and moved to second when Brandon Hodge was hit by a pitch with one out. Livingston tagged and moved to third on John Pogorzelski's fly-out to leftfield. With Steve Picco at the plate, Hodge took off for second and stopped halfway. Livingston scampered home with the winning run as the throw went through to second base.

Castleton plated two more in the bottom of the ninth on an rbi-single from Conley and an rbi-double from Ragis. Ragis was thrown out trying to stretch his double into a triple for the final out of the game.

Polcare finished with a 4-for-4 day at the plate including a walk, double, triple one rbi and one run scored to lead the 14-16 Spartans. Conley added three hits, two runs and one RBI.

Levandowski was 2-for-5 with two RBI and two runs scored, while VanGysen was 2-for-3 with the homerun on the day. Seth Labossiere picked up the win in relief, tossing three shut-out innings, allowing one hit and one walk while striking out two for the 9-20 Panthers.

Castleton is back in action on Friday at 2:00 pm when the Spartans play host to the University of Maine-Presque Isle.

Plymouth State will travel to Salem State Thursday for a 3:30 pm non-conference match-up.