CASTLETON, Vt. – The Spartans came up just short in a doubleheader against Middlebury on Wednesday as they fell 7-0 in the opener and then 5-4 in eight innings, in the nightcap. 

Allison Quigley was dominant for Middlebury in the opener, tossing 6.0 innings while allowing four hits and striking out six to earn the victory. Carlyn Vachow went 3-for-4 as the team totaled nine hits. Cassidy Tedeschi took the loss, going 3.0 inning with five earned runs allowed. 

The Panthers jumped on Castleton in the top of the first, scoring three times. Siobhan O'Sullivan led off with a single and Kat Maehr followed with a two-run homer over the field in left. Sarah Freyre then doubled and scored on a single by Vachow. 

Two innings later the Panthers added to their lead with four more runs. Vachow led off with a single and Quigley was hit by a pitch with one out. Hye-Jin Kim drove in both with a triple to right center and Middlebury added two more unearned runs for the 7-0 advantage. 

Katie Gagne came on in relief for Tedeschi and surrendered just one hit without giving up a run while striking out a batter. However, Castleton couldn't capitalize as they left a pair of runners stranded in the fifth and again in the sixth. 

Neve Stearns sent the Spartans down in order in the seventh to give Middlebury the 7-0 win. 

In the second game, Castleton came out swinging with a run in the bottom of the first inning. Babcock singled through the left side with one down and advanced on a single by Brittany Brayman. Brayman was later thrown out trying to score on a wild pitch to end the inning. 

Two innings later, Kristi Lawless reached on an error and Jessica Babcock blasted a home run over the centerfield fence for the 3-0 lead. 

The Panthers got a run back in the top of the fourth as Emma Hamilton send a ball over the fence in left to cut it to 3-1. An inning later Middlebury scored two on a double down the line by Erin Giles to tie it 3-3. 

Castleton threatened in the bottom of the sixth as Chelsea Grady ripped a leadoff double. Kayla Wood came in to run and advanced to third on a bunt, before consecutive outs ended the threat. 

Neither team could get anything going in the seventh, but the Panthers came back with some offense in the eighth. A flyout advanced Giles to third and Kim ripped a line drive that went off the leg of Katie Gagne at first and into right field, scoring Giles for the 4-3 advantage. Middlebury added an RBI by Kati Daczkowsi to make it 5-3. 

In the bottom of the frame, Babcock singled Daigle over to third and Brayman followed with a sacrifice fly to cut the deficit to 5-4. Babcock moved to second on the play but was stranded as Stearns got out of trouble to win the contest. 

Stearns finished with 6.0 innings pitching and six strikeouts while allowing just four hits. Wood look the loss as she went 4.0 innings, giving up five hits and one earned run while striking out two. Taylor Paquette started for Castleton and went the first 4.0 innings, giving up six hits while allowing one run and striking out three. 

Babcock went 3-for-4 in the second game while Grady also added three hits and finished the day with a team-high four hits. Maehr led Middlebury with three hits. 

The Spartans return to action on Saturday when they host Husson in a doubleheader starting at 12 pm.