CASTLETON, Vt. – The Castleton State College softball team picked up its first doubleheader sweep of the season in decisive fashion, downing Cazenovia 12-4 and 8-0, Sunday afternoon in non-conference action at Spartan Field.
 
Both wins were shortened to six innings by the mercy rule as Castleton upped its record to 3-9, while the Wildcats remain winless at 0-8.
 
The Spartan offense pounded out a season-high 15 hits en route to the 12-4 win in the opener. All nine players to register an at bat had at least one hit, and six had two. Freshman Caitlin Probst (Gettysburg, Pa.) had two hits and three RBI, while classmate Stephanie Sylvester (Swanton, Vt.) added two hits, two RBI and a game-high four runs scored to pace the offense.
 
Emily Sweeney (Weare, N.H.) picked up her second win in as many days, hurling six innings and allowing four earned runs on nine hits and three walks while striking out three.
 
Calyn Fisher (Hamilton, N.Y.) led the Wildcats with two hits and two RBI.
 
After a scoreless first inning, Castleton jumped on Cazenovia starter Jenna Kraeger (Constableville, N.Y.) for three runs. Mercedes Maltbie (Warrensburg, N.Y.) got the inning started off on the right foot with a double to left field. A pair of Wildcat errors moved things along for the Spartans, and Kristy Pinkham (Brandon, Vt.) and Chesea Crehan (Essex, Conn.) each provided RBI groundouts later in the frame.

Cazenovia answered with three runs of its own in the top of the third. Kerstyn Decory (Waterloo, N.Y.) singled and stole second to lead things off, moved to third on a fly-out and later came around to score on a Fisher single. Hilary Hext (Schoharie, N.Y.) also added a run-scoring single and Alexandra Dickson (Tonawanda, N.Y.) brought home a run with a sacrifice fly to center.
 
From there on it was all Castleton as the Spartans plated eight runs over the next two innings to break the game open. Crehan tripled and scored on a Tori Fearon (Colchester, Conn.) single, while Shannon Jipner (Bristol, Vt.) and Sylvester each smacked an RBI-double in the decisive, five-run fourth inning.
 
In the nightcap the Spartans pounded out 11 more hits, which was more than enough, as junior Taylor Lively (Greenfield, Mass.) was dominant in the circle allowing just one hit and no walks while striking out eight in her complete-game shutout. Lively faced the minimum, as the lone Wildcat to reach base was erased by the freshman catcher Sylvester, who came out of her crouch after a strikeout to nab Kraeger off first base.
 
Chrehan went 2-for-3 with three RBI and a run scored to pace the offense, while Margy Kerschner (Vergennes, Vt.) and Jipner each drove in a pair.