Courtesy of: Coast Guard Sports Information

NEW LONDON, Conn. – The Castleton State College baseball team earned a split at Coast Guard Academy Sunday afternoon, using a seven-run fifth inning in the opener to pick up its first win of the young season.

Junior Mike Salerno's RBI double in the sixth broke a 2-2 tie as Coast Guard salvaged a split with a 4-2 win in the nightcap.

Castleton scored seven runs in the fifth inning on four hits, four walks and a hit batter. Sophomores Zak Mayoand Cameron Curler each had RBI singles, sophomore Mathew Pause had an RBI double while classmate Ben Schoeneberger had a two-run single in the inning for the Spartans, who led 8-0.

Coast Guard scored all five of its runs in the bottom of the sixth as junior Eddie Kalankiewicz, sophomore Cameron Carroll and sophomore Eric Gerken had three straight RBI singles after sophomore Mike Massaro was walked with the bases loaded cutting the lead to 8-4. Sophomore Ed Sella had a pinch hit sacrifice fly to make the score 8-5.

Junior Tyler Erickson worked six innings and allowed six hits, five runs, all earned while walking just one and striking out nine to pickup the win while senior Seth Harrington allowed a pair of hits in the seventh and fanned a batter to pickup his first save of the season.

Sophomore Curt Barrett (1-1) was solid in his first career start as he worked 4 1/3 innings allowing just two hits and one earned run while walking three and striking out two, but he took the loss. Freshman Dave Wolinski pitched the final 2 2/3 innings for the Bears allowing four this and an earned run while fanning two. Sophomore Tyler Babkiewich had two hits in the opener for Coast Guard while Schhoenberger had two hits in the opener for Castleton.

In game two, senior Jack Lancelin's RBI single in the fifth gave the Spartans a 2-1 lead before the Bears tied the game in the home half with a leadoff homer by sophomore Jed Daleiden, the first homer of the season for Coast Guard.

In the sixth, Salerno's RBI double scored Kalankiewicz, who led off with a walk and stole second. Sella added an RBI single to score Salerno giving the Bears a 4-2 lead.

Sophomore Tyler Vieira (1-1) got the win in relief as he pitched the final 1 2/3 innings and allowed two hits and struck out two to pickup his first win of the season.

Sophomore starter James Diddell pitched well for Coast Guard as he went 5 1/3 innings and allowed six hits and a pair of earned runs while walking one and striking out three.

Sophomore Patrick Riley started for Castleton and went five innings allowing five hits and two earned runs while walking one and fanning two.

Senior Matt Greene (0-2) was touched for both runs in the sixth and took the loss.

Coast Guard improves to 8-5 on the season while Castleton picked up its first win of the season and the Spartans are now 1-8 overall.

Sella had a pair of hits for the Bears in game two while senior Jack Lancelin and junior David Brandt each had two hits for the Spartans in game two.