Castleton, Vt. - The Spartans silenced Lyndon St. 9-0 in the first game of their doubleheader on Friday, but the second game was a different story as they got a run in the seventh and eighth inning to earn a dramatic 2-1 walk-off victory and sweep the visiting Hornets on Friday afternoon.

 
Trailing 1-0 entering the last of the seventh, Castleton's dying hopes of tying the game were acquitted by senior Bridget Dusha (Greenwich, N.Y.). The leadoff fouled off multiple pitches before lining a single through the left side. Pinch runner Kayla Daigle (Biddeford, Maine) then stole second and advance to third on a catch in foul territory by the leftfielder. Freshman Kristy Pinkham (Brandon, Vt.) followed and came through with a triple to the right field wall, tying the game 1-1. However, she was stranded at third, sending the game into extra innings.
 
In the top of the frame, with a runner placed on second, Jillian Emery (Morrisville, Vt.) executed the sacrifice bunt to advance the runner. However, she was stuck on third as starter Taylor Lively induced a pop-up and a strikeout to end the threat.
 
Tori Fearon (Colchester, Conn.) opened the eighth on second and advanced to third on a fielding error by the shortstop. That proved decisive as Mercedes Maltbie (Warrensburg, N.Y.) hit a soft grounder to third and Fearon beat the throw home for the game-winning run and 2-1 victory.
 
Lively went the distance, tossing 8.0 innings, allowing just two hits and an unearned run while striking out nine batters for her 10th victory of the season. Meghan Gadapee (Littleton, N.H.) was saddled with the loss, despite scattering seven hits over seven innings and allowing just a single earned run while striking out two with a walk.
 
With the two victories, Castleton improves to 18-14 on the season and 13-1 in the North Atlantic Conference. The 13 conference wins are a program record with the 18 victories are the most since the team won 22 in 2005. Lyndon falls to 9-23 and 1-13 in conference play with the loss.
 
The opening game was dominated by Emily Sweeney (Weare, N.H.), as she threw her first career one-hitter. The junior gave up just a soft single to the shortstop and allowed only one other runner to reach base over five innings on the mound. Sweeney also struck out four batters without allowing a walk for her eighth win of the year.  
 
The Spartans got the offense going in the first Fearon reached on a two-out walk. She advanced to second on a bad throw back to the pitcher during the next at bat. Shannon Jipner (Bristol, Vt.) dropped a soft liner over the first basemen's head to bring in the first run of the game.
 
Castleton added three more runs in the bottom of the second. Margy Kerschner (Vergennes, Vt.), Dusha and Chelsea Crehan (Essex, Conn.) loaded up the bases for Pinkham with one out. The freshman drew a walk to score a run and each of the next two batters reached, bringing home two more runs before Lyndon was able to get out of the inning.
 
The Spartans kept their offense going in the third as Kerschner reached on an error to lead off. Caitlin Mackey (Schenectady, N.Y.) followed with a single and Dusha and Crehan both reached without getting a hit. Caylee Fleury (Barre, Vt.) rapped a single to left, which was misplayed by the fielder, allowing two runs to score for the 7-0 advantage.
 
In the bottom of the fourth, Kerschner ripped a one-out triple to the gap in right-center. Mackey followed with a walk and both scored on a throwing error by the third basemen to push the Castleton lead 9-0 after four innings.
 
Sweeney made sure there wouldn't be a comeback in the fifth, needing four batters to get through the inning and end the first game.
 
Castleton returns to action on Sunday, April 22 at 1 pm when the Spartans travel to face Johnson St. in the final doubleheader of the regular season for both teams.