CASTLETON, Vt. – Castleton State College split a non-conference softball doubleheader with visiting SUNY-Cobleskill Tuesday evening, winning the opener 16-0 in five innings, before falling in the nightcap 5-3.

The Spartans are now 12-18, while the Fighting Tigers move to 1-19.

Castleton sent 17 batters to the plate in the first inning of the opener, plating 12 runs on 12 hits, including three home runs.

Jipner belted three home runs in her first three at bats, two of which came in the first inning, and drove in five runs to lead the offense. Sarah Flore (Springfield, Vt.) went 4-for-4 with a home run and two doubles, scoring four runs and driving in three. Megan Blongy (Rutland, Vt.) and Hannah Greene (Rutland, Vt.) each had two hits and two RBI for the Spartans.

Taylor Lively (Greenfield, Mass.) earned the win, taking over for starter Emily Sweeney (Weare, N.H.) with two outs in the first inning after Sweeney was struck with a comebacker. Lively allowed one hit and walked two while striking out six in four-and-one-third innings.

Cobleskill shortstop Alyson Sanders (Delanson, N.Y.) doubled for the Fighting Tigers.

In the nightcap, Steph Wright (Guilford, Vt.) doubled to left-centerfield, driving in Siobhan Whittermore (Springfield, Vt.) to give Castleton a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the second. But, Cobleskill answered with three unearned runs in the fourth inning to grab a 3-2 lead. Tomi-Lee Springer (Berne, N.Y.) reached on an error, moved to second on a wild pitch and came around to score on a single up the middle by Autumn Ackermann (Cochecton, N.Y.). The Fighting Tigers loaded the bases with two outs and Noelle Gushlaw (Germantown, N.Y.) delivered a two-run single to right field giving Cobleskill the lead.

Julie Benzenberg (Pine Bush, N.Y.) struck for a solo home run in the bottom half of the inning to tie the score, but Cobleskill answered with two more in the fifth to grab the win.

Casey Kelly (Walton, N.Y.) doubled and scored on a double from Springer, and Keasia Dale (Long Beach, N.Y.) doubled down the left-field line with two outs to plate the insurance run.

Ackermann earned the win in the circle, scattering eight hits over seven innings and walking one, while striking out three.

Castleton returns to North Atlantic Conference (NAC) action tomorrow with a 3:30 doubleheader versus Green Mountain. Cobleskill is at Southern Vermont Thursday for a non-conference doubleheader at 3 p.m.