Queensbury, N.Y. – Castleton struggled to find offense in its first doubleheader of the year, falling to Brandeis 8-0 & 1-0 on Thursday afternoon in the Adirondack Sports Complex. 

The Spartans got solid pitching performances from Emily Sweeney and Taylor Lively as the Judges scored in just three different innings, but it wasn't enough as the offense failed to generate a run and the team dropped to 0-2. Brandeis improved to 2-0 with the victories. 

In the opener neither team was able get on the board through the first two innings, with both pitchers shutting down the opposition. Brandeis threatened in the bottom of the third, but with two runners on and two down Sweeney induced a grounder back to the mound for the final out. 

In the top of the fourth, Ruby Bushey lined a double into the left-center gap, but was stranded on third. 

Brandeis got on the board with a four-run inning in the bottom of the fifth on three hits and two costly errors from the Spartan defense. Madison Gagnon led off the rally with a one-out single to left field. Danielle Novotny advanced the runner and reached first on a swinging bunt that spun back to the mound. Anya Kamber reached on a throwing error and two runs scored on an errant throw from first to third. Madison Sullivan followed with an RBI groundout, and Melissa Nolan capped the scoring with a solo bomb over the left-center field fence. 

In the top of the sixth, the Spartans did their best to mount a two-out rally. Brittany Brayman bounced a single up the middle and advanced to third on a bunt by Jessica Babcock. Babcock advanced to second on the throw. However, with two down and runners in scoring position, Bushey struck out swinging to end the threat. 

The Judges added to their lead in the bottom of the frame as each of the first three batters reached base. An RBI groundout made it 6-0 in favor of Brandeis before each of the next two batters recorded scored a run to extend the lead to 8-0 and end the contest. 

Nikki Cote earned the win, going 6.0 innings while allowing just two hits and striking out ten. Sweeney went 5.1 innings, giving up four earned runs and striking out two batters. 

In the nightcap, Amanda Genovese led off the game with single for Brandeis and came around to score on a double by Novotny for a 1-0 advantage that proved to be the difference in the game. 

The Spartans threatened in the bottom of the second as Brayman walked and Babcock followed with a one-out double down the leftfield line. However, Nolan induced a groundout and earned a strikeout on a full count to end the frame. 

Castleton put a runner on in the sixth but couldn't score and went down in the ninth as Cote came on for two innings of relief. 

Nolan got the win in 5.0 innings of work, striking out five while allowing just two hits. Lively was solid as well, scattering six hits over 7.0 innings and allowing one run while striking out two batters. 

Brayman had two hits and reached base three times on the afternoon while Babcock recorded one hit in each contest.

Castleton returns to action on March 14 when they travel down to Virginia for a weekend of softball.