CASTLETON, Vt. – The Castleton State College baseball team swept a North Eastern Athletic Conference East Division doubleheader from visiting Colby-Sawyer College Wednesday afternoon at Spartan Field. The Spartans took game one behind a dazzling performance from Tyler Erickson (Naugatuck, Conn.) 7-1, and followed with an 8-4 win the nightcap.

Erickson set the tone for the Spartans, working quickly and efficiently, retiring the first seven batters he faced before a bloop single by Rob Wallace (Tewksbury, Mass.) with one out in the top of the third. Erickson got the next Charger on strikes before a ringing double to left-centerfield by Kyle Greenwood (Lyndonville, Vt.). Wallace tried to score all the way from first, but a perfect relay from centerfielder David Brandt (Contoocook, N.H.) and shortstop Cameron Curler (Vergennes, Vt.) cut him down at the plate.

The play ignited the Spartan offense as Castleton struck for five runs in the bottom of the inning, keyed by a two-run double to left-center by Ryan Zielinski (Schenectady, N.Y.) and a two-run single from Adam Greenlese (Shokan, N.Y.).

It is all the help Erickson needed as he set down the next ten Chargers that came to the plate before Colby-Sawyer was able to scratch out a run in the top of the seventh. Tyler Stotz (Amesbury, Mass.) was hit by a pitch with one out, while Justin Martin (Lebanon, N.H.) and Vinny Monahan (Foxboro, Mass.) each provided two-out singles to bring Stotz around and spoil the shutout bid.

Erickson picked up the complete game win, allowing four hits and one earned while striking out four on an economical 74 pitches.

Zielinski finished 2-for-3 with two doubles, two runs scored and two RBI, while Joe Borowski (Schenectady, N.Y.)  went 2-for-3 with a double, three RBI and a run scored to pace the Spartan offense.

In the nightcap Patrick Riley (Strafford, Vt.) picked up his second win of the season tossing six-and-one-third innings, allowing four earned runs on six hits and four walks while striking out a pair. Derek Osborne (Springfield, Vt.) was called on to get the final two outs and picked up the save with one walk and one strikeout.

Colby-Sawyer jumped on the board first as Greg Mehuron (Waitsfield, Vt.) walked, moved to second on a ground out and came around to score on Jon Wylie's (Middleboro, Mass.) single down the leftfield line.

The Spartans manufactured a run of their own in the bottom half of the first as Brandt singled up the middle to lead off, stole second, moved to third on a Curler sacrifice bunt and came around to score on a Zielinski sacrifice fly.

Castleton grabbed two more in the third inning as Greenlese was hit by a pitch and scored later on a throwing error and Mat Pause (Wilder, Vt.) dropped down a perfect bunt single and came around later on a Zielinski run-scoring hit.

Colby-Sawyer got back to within one with a run in the fourth, but Castleton answered with five more over the next two innings to put the game on ice. Brandt provided a two-run single in the fourth and Brian Martin (Woodstock, Vt.) drove home a pair in the fifth with a lined single up the middle.

Riley ran into trouble in the seventh as Monohan led off with a single, and Jake Szulak (Middleboro, Mass.) followed with a double to put runners on second and third with no outs. A wild pitch plated Monohan, and an RBI-ground out brought home Szulak to cut the deficit to 8-4. Riley was lifted after a hit-batsman, and Osborne walked the first batter he faced before inducing a fly out and finishing the game with a strikeout for his first career save.

Zielinski once again finished 2-for-3 with a pair of RBI as did Brandt to pace the offense.

Szulak had a pair of hits and an RBI to lead Colby-Sawyer.

Castleton improves to 7-8, 4-0 and will host Curry in a non-league game Saturday at 2 pm

Colby-Sawyer falls to 6-8, 0-2 will host Thomas College this Saturday and Sunday in a four-game NEAC East series. Both doubleheaders are slated for a 12 noon start.