HENNIKER, N.H. – Castleton scored at least one run in every inning as the team opened conference play with a 10-7 victory over New England College on Wednesday afternoon. 

The Spartans scored a season-high ten runs as they took advantage of five Pilgrim errors and belted out 12 hits to improve to 1-0 in the North Atlantic Conference and 7-5 overall. NEC managed six unearned runs in the first inning but finished with just three hits overall to drop to 9-10 and 0-1 in the conference. 

Katie Gagne led the offense by going 3-for-4 with four RBI while Jessica Babcock went 3-for-5 with three runs and two RBI. On the mound, Kayla Wood gave up just one earned run while tossing a complete game and striking out eight batters. 

Castleton opened the scoring in the top of the first as Gagne singled home Brittany Brayman with two out. 

The Pilgrims countered with seven run runs in the bottom of the frame to pull in front 7-1. Gina Drappi scored on an error with one out and Wood hit back-to-back batters to load the bases. Castleton then unraveled with errors on four consecutive plays that allowed five runs to cross the plate. An RBI single by Kiley Williams made it 7-1 before Wood got out of the inning. 

Stephanie Sylvester led off the top of the second with a triple and scored on an error to trim the deficit to five. Castleton added two more runs in the third inning to close the gap to 7-4. Chelsea Grady then drove in Babcock on a groundout to third base and Gagne followed with an RBI double, scoring Brayman.

In the fourth, Babcock singled home Timi Carone with two outs and two batters later Grady doubled home Babcock to leave the Spartans down just 7-6. 

Castleton tied up the game on a Kayla Daigle single in the fifth and grabbed a 9-7 lead in the top of the sixth as Gagne singled home a pair of runs. 

Wood retired the last six batters of the game in order and Babcock connected on an RBI single in the top of the seventh to score Kristi Lawless for the 10-7 final. 

Debra Mazzeo took the loss for NEC, going 7.0 innings and giving up four earned runs while walking two and striking out eight batters. 

The team's second game of the day was postponed due to inclement weather. Castleton returns to action on Thursday when the team hosts Plymouth in a doubleheader beginning at 3:30 pm.