LYNCHBURG, VA – The Spartans opened their season on Friday with a defeat 10-0 at the hands of Randolph College, but came back to take a lead in the second game of the doubleheader before ultimately falling 8-4.

Castleton dropped to 0-2 with the losses while the WildCats improved to 8-4 with the victory.
Willingham came into the game hitting .364, but raised her average 124 points over the two victories for the WildCats (8-4). In the first game, she posted four singles along with two runs scored while finishing game two with four hits, two RBI and three runs scored. 

Senior Bridget Dusha (Greenwich, N.Y.) and sophomore Tori Fearon (Colchester, Conn.) each recorded two hits and scored one run, with Dusha going 2-for-5 and Fearson 2-for-6.

In the opener, Randolph jumped all over its friends from the north, plating four runs in each of the first two innings. The big blow in the first inning was a two-run double from senior Gina Pagano (Hopewell, N.J.). First-year Jessica Sanabria (Burgaw, N.C.) duplicated that in the second stanza, driving in Patti Vinson (Williamsburg, Va.) and Brittney Via (Charlottesville, Va.). 

In game two, things were a little tighter as the Spartan bats got a bit of a jolt. Randolph scored in the bottom of the first thanks to an Ashley Gardner (Ashburn, Va.) RBI single. 

Castleton and Randolph exchanged runs in the second frame, but the Spartans scored two in the top of the third on a Dusha double to left field to take their first advantage of the day. 

Randolph responded with three in the bottom of the fourth to retake the lead, as Willingham drove in two runs on a double. The 'Cats added three insurance runs in the sixth to put the game out of reach, as Vinson singled in a pair. 

Junior Taylor Lively (Greenfield, Mass.) went the distance in the second game, giving up five earned runs and striking out six in her first appearance of the season.

Castleton returns to action on Saturday for a pair of games as the team faces Eastern Mennonite at 11 a.m. and then Hunter at 3 p.m.