Castleton, VT – The Castleton State College softball team used dominant pitching from Hilary Bemis (Crown Point, NY) in game one and Taylor Lively (Greenfield, MA) in game two to complete a doubleheader sweep of Sage in non-conference action on Friday afternoon, 7-0 and 3-0.
The Spartans improve to 4-9 overall on the season with the doubleheader sweep while the Gators fall to 0-12 on the season.
In game one, Hilary Bemis (Crown Point, NY) improved to 2-4 overall on the season throwing a complete-game shutout yielding two hits, no walks and punching out eight batters. She also did damage at the plate going 2-for-3 with a double, two runs and two RBI's.
Gabriella Skillen (Milford, NY) was given the loss pitching six innings, allowing eight hits, seven runs (six earned), five walks and one strikeout.
Megan Blongy (Rutland, VT) connected for three base hits finishing 3-for-3 in game one with a run scored.
After a scoreless first inning from both clubs, Castleton jumped out to a 2-0 lead as Hannah Greene (Rutland, VT) single home Sarah Flore (Springfield, VT) and Stephanie Wright (Guilford, VT) with a base knock to centerfield.
The Spartans pushed home another run in the third as Bemis led off the inning with a double, Shannon Jipner (Bristol, VT) reached on an error and Bemis scored on Mallory Ingalls' (Oriskany, NY) throw to second that nabbed Jipner trying to steal.
Bemis aided her own cause in the circle in the bottom of the fourth driving in two out of the four runs in the frame with a single to left field. Jipner also picked up an RBI in the inning.
In game two, Lively (1-2) earned her first-collegiate victory with a complete-game shutout allowing four hits, one walk and 10 strikeouts. Kristen Knights (Chatham, NY) was handed the loss tossing six innings, yielding just four hits, three runs (all unearned), four walks and one strikeout.
Blongy, Bemis, Rachel Dube (Newbury, VT) and Mercedes Maltbie (Warrensburg, NY) each accounted for one of Castleton's four hits in the contest.
It was a pitcher's duel until the bottom of the fifth when the Spartans finally broke open the scoring.
Wright started the inning off with a walk, Greene reached on a throwing error and advanced to second pushing Wright to third base. Then, Maltbie followed with a single scoring Wright for a 1-0 lead. Caylee Fleury (Barre, VT) reached on a fielder's choice notching an RBI as Greene beat out a throw at home for Castleton's second run. The Spartans tacked on their third run as Maltbie scored on a passed ball.
Ingalls went 2-for-3 for the Gators while teammates Jennifer Ahearn (Cohoes, NY) and Meghan Welcome (Cohoes, NY) picked up the other two hits.
Castleton returns to action on April 8, on the road, against Cobleskill in a doubleheader with game one scheduled at 3:00 p.m. Sage travels to Skidmore on April 7 for a doubleheader with game one starting at 3:30 p.m.
