MIDDLEBURY, Vt. - Castleton's offense was clicking and four pitchers combined to throw a shutout as the Spartans earned an emphatic 13-0 victory over Middlebury on Wednesday afternoon Forbes Field.

The Spartans got four hits from David Brandt (Contoocook, N.H.) and a 3-for-4 performance with four RBI from Ryan Zielinski (Schenectady, N.Y.) to lead the offense at the top two spots in the lineup.

Derek Osbourne (Springfield, Vt.) got the start and went four innings, allowing just three hits while striking out three for the victory. With the win, Castleton improves to 31-14 on the season while Middlebury drops to 13-15 overall.

Brandt jumpstarted the offense in the top of the first, singling and stealing second with Zielinski at the plate. The junior came through with an RBI double and would score later in the inning to give Castleton a 2-0 lead after one.

It was a two-run ballgame until the top of the sixth when the Spartan offense erupted for six runs. Zak Mayo (Avon, Conn.) led off with a walk and Peter Wagner (Brattleboro, Vt.) followed with a bunt single. Cameron Curler (Vergennes, Vt.)  laid down a bunt to advance the runners and ended up with a single, loading the bases for Macyn Clifford (Brookline, N.H.). He reached on a fielder's choice and Mayo scored safely on an error by the catcher.

Curler was forced out at home of a fielder's choice, but Mat Pause (Hartford, Vt.) scored two with a single to right field. He advanced to second on the throw home and was able to score on a single by Brandt that plated two more runs for the 7-0 advantage. Brandt got himself in scoring position by stealing second and third and came home on a single by Zielinski for the final run of the frame.

An inning later, the Spartans were up to it again as Curler walked and Clifford single to lead off the inning. Adam Greenlese (Shokan, N.Y.) advanced the runners on a bunt and Pause drove in a run with a single. Two batters later, Zielinski rapped a two-RBI single through the right side, extending the Castleton lead to 11-0.

The Spartans added two more in the ninth with RBI's from Nate Swahn (Rutland, Vt.) and Mayo for the 13-0 final.

Ben Schoeneberger (Vernon, Conn.), Patrick Riley (Strafford, Vt.) and Dakota Aker (Schenectady, N.Y.) combined with Osbourne for the shutout win, giving up just four hits after the freshman left the game.

The Spartans return to action on Saturday at 1 p.m. when they take on Penn St. - Berks for the right to represent the NEAC in the NCAA National Tournament.