Farmington, Maine – The Spartans split with the University of Maine at Farmington on Sunday afternoon, dropping their first game 4-1 but coming back with a dominant performance in the second game to win 7-0 at Prescott Field.

Castleton got a pair of solid pitching performances from senior Taylor Lively and freshman Jessica Babcock went 3-for-4 with two runs, three RBI and reached base five times over the two contests. With the split the Spartans move to 11-17 overall and 8-4 in the North Atlantic Conference. The Beavers improved to 8-7 and 6-6 in conference play. 

UMF opened the scoring with two runs in the bottom of the second on a throwing error. Two innings later the Beavers extended their lead to 4-0, platting two runs after loading the bases with just one out. 

Castleton finally got on the board in the top of the sixth. Chelsea Crehan belted a leadoff double and Daigle moved her to third on a groundout. Babcock followed with a run-scoring sacrifice fly. However a foul out ended a chance at closing the gap. 

Lively went 6.0 innings in taking the loss, striking out five and allowing just two earned runs while walking a single batter. 

In the second game the Spartan offense started strong. Crehan led off with a walk and two batters later Babcock ripped her second home run of the season for the 2-0 lead. 

That score held through the fourth inning, and Castleton added single runs in the fifth and sixth. A three-run uprising in the top of the seventh, keyed by Melissa Halloran's two-run single up the middle, helped seal the win for the Spartans. 

Lively scattered five Farmington hits in the complete game shutout win, with five strikeouts against three walks. UMF starter Emma Vaillancourt went six complete innings and allowed three earned runs on four hits, striking out nine but issuing seven walks. 

Babcock was 2-for-2 at the plate with two runs scored and two RBI for the Spartans while Halloran was 2-for-4 with two runs batted in.

Castleton returns to action on Tuesday when the Spartans host Union in a doubleheader beginning at 3:30 pm.