Castleton, Vt. – The Castleton softball team struggled to score in the first game of the day and then gave up some runs late in the nightcap as the Spartans fell 8-0 and 6-3 to Rensselaer on Thursday afternoon. 

In the opener the offense was held in check by the Engineers' Kristina Weltzin, who tossed a one-hitter in six innings of work, allowing just a single by Brittany Brayman and walking a batter while striking out eight. 

The score was knotted 0-0 through the first three innings. However, in the bottom of the fourth RPI went off for six runs. Each of the first three runners reached base to open the inning. Leading 1-0 the Engineers scored another run on a sacrifice fly and then back-to-back hits made it 4-0. The offense added two more runs before pitcher Emily Sweeney was able to get the final out. 

RPI added two runs in the bottom of the six for the 8-0 win. Sweeney took the loss, giving up all eight runs on ten hits while striking out three batters. 

The Spartans quickly got on the board in the nightcap as Caylee Fleury led off the game with a single and Kristi Lawless doubled her home. However, Lawless was thrown out trying to leg out the triple. 

Castleton added runs one inning later as Stephanie Sylvester led off the frame with a walk. Leah Van Buren followed with a single and Kristy Pinkham moved the runners over with a groundout. Fleury smacked a sacrifice fly, scoring Sylvester for the 2-0 advantage. Lawless singled and Brayman then drove home Van Buren for the three-run lead. 

Unfortunately the lead was short lived as Dani Grage led off the bottom of the inning with a solo home run. The Engineers added two more runs in the frame to tie the score 3-3. 

In the bottom of the fourth RPI loaded the bases with one down. Taylor Lively was able to induce an RBI groundout for the second out, but Gillian McCarthy drove in two more runs one batter later for the 6-3 lead. 

Castleton loaded the bases in the top of the fifth but couldn't plate a run, and Lively held the Engineer bats silent for the rest of the day as the Spartans fell 6-3. 

Lawless finished the game 3-for-4 while Tori Fearon and Van Buren each had two hits. Lively went 6.0 innings, giving up six earned runs while striking out three and walking three batters. 

The Spartans return to action on Saturday when they host Green Mountain in a doubleheader beginning at 12 pm.