VERO BEACH, Fla. – Castleton started its season off strong with a pair of hard-fought victories, taking down the University of South Carolina Sumter 4-3 and 5-2 on Thursday in the Dodgertown College Spring Invitational. 

In the opener, junior Jessica Babcock went 3-for-4 with two runs and a solo home run while Chelsea Grady went 3-for-3 with an RBI. Kayla Wood started and pitched three scoreless innings, striking out six batters. Babcock added two more hits in the second game while Brittany Brayman also recorded a pair of base knocks.

Castleton opened the scoring in the bottom of the first, scoring three times. Babcock started with a one-out single and Kristi Lawless reached on an error. Brayman followed with a double to center, scoring Babcock. Katie Gagne singled to left for the 2-0 advantage and Grady pushed the lead to 3-0 with a single to center. 

The Spartans added to their lead in the bottom of the second on a solo home run by Babcock for the 4-0 advantage. 

Cassidy Tedeschi came on in the fourth and gave up a pair of runs before getting a strikeout with the bases loaded to get out of the inning. 

Neither team was able to get on the board again until the top of the seventh as the Fire Ants scored to pull within one. However, freshman Taylor Paquette shut them down to earn the save. 

In the second game, starter Veronica Arnone kept USC Sumter off the board with four scoreless innings while walking two and striking out a pair.  

The Castleton offense was held at bay by Charley Price until the third, when freshman Olivia Maher singled home Babcock. 

Leading by just one, the Spartans broke out in the top of the sixth. Ruby Bushey and Katie Traver singled and advanced to second and third on sacrifice bunts with one out. Sami Carlo bunted home a run for the 2-0 lead and Castleton added three more runs in the frame for the 5-0 advantage. 

The Fire Ants finally got one back in the bottom of the sixth and another in the bottom of the seventh, but the Spartans held on for the 5-2 win. 

Castleton is back in action tomorrow with three games, beginning with a doubleheader against Norwich at 9 am.