Bangor, Maine – Castleton received a pair of impressive pitching performances, highlighted by a Kayla Wood gem against Husson as the Spartans advanced to the NAC Championship game by beating Thomas 9-2 and then Husson 5-1 on Saturday at Husson. 

Wood helped Castleton take down Husson for the first time in NAC Tournament play by allowing just five hits and one run in her complete-game effort. She also added five strikeouts while walking four. Jessica Babcock provided the offense, going 2-for-3 with two runs scored. 

In the opening game of the day, Castleton came out swinging, scoring three times in the top of the first. Tori Fearon ripped a one-out double and Babcock followed with a run-scoring single. Brayman singled to advance Babcock and after a strikeout Chelsea Grady drove in both runners to make it 3-0. 

The Spartans added a run in the top of the second following a Fearon single and in the third Grady doubled home Stephanie Sylvester for a 5-0 advantage. 

Thomas finally got on the board in the bottom of the fourth as they scored two runs, one earned, against starter Katie Gagne before she induced a groundout to end the inning with a 5-2 lead. 

Castleton got a run back in the top of the fifth and then broke open the game with three more runs in the top of the sixth. In the sixth the Spartans earned four hits, highlighted by a two-run single from Fearon. 

Gagne earned the win going the first 4.0 innings, while Veronica Arnone came on in relief and gave up two hits while striking out four in 3.0 innings.

Against the Eagles, the Spartan offense jumped on Husson starter Amanda Ryan in the first. Fearon put a one-out single through the right side and Babcock followed with a double down the left field line. Following a Brayman strikeout, Sylvester came through with a single up the middle to drive in both runners. 

In the second Kayla Wood led off with a walk. Ruby Bushey then launched a home run over the left field fence for the 4-0 Castleton advantage. The was the end of the day for Ryan as Kayla Merrill came on in relief to finish off the inning. 

Wood gave up her lone run in the top of the third. Following a one-out single, Allison Hill ripped a triple to left-center to cut the deficit to 4-1. 

Castleton made it a four-run game in the fifth as Babcock ripped a one-out double and came around to score on a fielding error by the Husson second baseman.

The Eagles threatened in the top of the sixth, loading the bases with one out. However, Wood recorded a swinging strikeout before getting the final batter of the inning to fly out. The freshman finished off her complete game with just one hit allowed in the seventh. 

Babcock finished the day 5-for-7 with four runs scored a double and a triple. Fearon was also 5-for-7 on the day, scoring twice and driving in a pair of runs. Sylvester also added three hits and three RBI on the day. 

Castleton advances to the NAC Title game at 12 pm where they will face the winner of the Lyndon St. and Husson matchup which begins at 10 am.