Waterville, Maine – The Spartans clinched the top seed in the upcoming North Eastern Athletic Conference East Division Tournament with a sweep of Thomas on Friday afternoon, taking down the Terriers 4-0 in the opener and then 4-2 in the nightcap.

Castleton's sweep improves their record to 26-10 overall and 21-1 in the NEAC East. Thomas, meanwhile, falls to 17-5 in the conference and 22-13 overall. The Spartans will now host the NEAC East Division Championship next weekend as they look for their third conference title in five years.
 
Friday's first game featured a pitchers dual as Castleton's Dakota Aker (Schenectady, N.Y.) and Thomas' Danny Burke both kept the game scoreless for six innings while striking out five batters apiece.
 
Ryan Zielinski (Schenectady, N.Y.) provided the first run of the game as he scored an unearned run off of a Zach Mayo (Avon, Conn.) single. The Spartans added one more run in the top of the sixth when Macyn Clifford (Brookline, N.H.) doubled to left field bringing in Peter Wagner (Brattleboro, Vt.) for the 2-0 lead.
 
Burke got the Terriers out of the inning when he caught Adam Greenlese (Shokan, N.Y.) looking ending the inning. However, Terriers were unable to get back a run in the bottom of the sixth, leaving two runners on base when Aker caught Rob Nutter looking on a full count.
 
In the top of the seventh Castleton got some insurance with RBI's from Zielinski and Joe Borowski (Schenectady, N.Y.) to push the lead to 4-0. Aker finished off the Terriers in the last of the seventh, inducing a pop-up and striking out the game's final two batters. 
 
In the nightcap the Spartans wasted no time getting on the board on an RBI from Mayo. That was followed by an unearned run off a wild pitch, giving the visitors a 2-0 lead. The Terriers made it a one-run game in the bottom of the second when Nutter crossed home on a wild pitch by starter Patrick Riley (Strafford, Vt.).
 
The Spartans put together a two-run inning in the top of the third, giving them a 4-1 advantage.
 
Down to the team's last out in the bottom of the seventh, Ben Goodall drew a walk bringing up Joshua Gray. He sent a double to left field bringing home Goodall and making it a two run game.
 
Nutter followed with a walk, putting runners on first and second for Cameron. Cameron sent a high fly ball out to centerfield but David Brandt (Contoocook, N.H.) settled under the ball for the final out of the game.
 
Riley picked up the complete-game win for the Spartans striking out two batters in earning his fifth win of the season.
 
The teams meet up tomorrow for a doubleheader beginning at noon to conclude the regular season.