CASTLETON, Vt. – Castleton softball picked up a doubleheader split on Saturday afternoon, defeating Skidmore in game one before dropping game two at Spartan Field.

The Spartans collected a 2-1 win after scoring a pair of late runs in the opener, but could not hold on in the second game, falling 11-3 in five innings. The Spartans led 2-0 after the top of the second inning in game two, but a 50-minute rain delay seemed to swing momentum, as Skidmore scored all 11 runs following the delay. The Spartans are now 5-5 on the season after splitting the doubleheader, while Skidmore is 7-11.

Timi Carone went 3-for-6 out of the leadoff spot for Castleton over the course of two games, while Chelsea Grady was 3-for-6 on the day with a run batted in.

Dani DeGregory led the way for Skidmore, going 4-for-8 on the day with a triple, a run, two RBI and two stolen bases. Casey Attonito was 4-for-5 in the doubleheader, tallying a double in the first game of the day. Amanda Carilli went the distance in both games for the Thoroughbreds, moving her record to 5-6 on the year.

The first game of the day was a pitchers' duel, as Taylor Paquette went six strong innings in game one, allowing just one run on eight hits without walking a batter to pick up her second win in as many outings.

 The game was scoreless through the first four innings of play, but Skidmore struck first, pushing a run across in the top of the fourth. The Thoroughbreds took a 1-0 lead on a run-scoring double by Lauren Fortunato, who scored Karly Fishkin. The Spartans threatened to tie the game in the bottom of the inning, putting runners at the corners with just one out, but Carilli worked out of the jam to keep Castleton scoreless.

After Paquette worked out of a jam of her own in the top of the sixth, the Spartan bats came alive in the home half of the frame. Sami Carlo led off with a double, and scored to tie the game on a throwing error by the catcher following a bunt single by Carone. Grady came to the plate with the go-ahead run on second base, and converted the opportunity with a single to give Castleton its first lead of the day at 2-1.

After Carilli finished off the Spartans in the sixth inning, Kayla Wood came on in relief for Castleton, tossing a scoreless seventh inning to earn her first save of the season and give the Spartans the victory.

Castleton got off to a hot start in the second game of the day, as Wood got the nod in the circle and stranded a runner on third base to end the first. Carone led off with a base hit in the bottom of the inning, before being moved up on a sacrifice bunt by Kristi Lawless. After the Lawless bunt, Brittany Brayman ripped a double over the center fielder's head to drive in Carone. A single by Grady gave Castleton runners at the corners. Katie Gagne would then hit a ground ball to third, and Brayman scored on the throw to give Castleton the 2-0 edge.

Wood retired the side in order in the top of the second, and Castleton came to the plate threatening to score once more. Carlo ripped a one-out double down the left field line, but play was halted before Carone saw a pitch due to heavy rain. A 50-minute delay ensued, which would drive Wood from the game for Castleton. The Spartans also stranded Carlo at second following the delay.

Krista Carcaterra would come on in relief of Wood to start the third inning. After a pair of singles to lead off the inning, DeGregory ripped a two-run triple to the fence in center field, scoring both runners and tying the game at 2-2. The Spartans answered in their half of the inning, as Tori Swaine drove a double into the gap in left-center to score Grady and give her team a 3-2 lead.

The lead was short-lived, however, as Skidmore put up seven runs in the top of the fourth inning, highlighted by a three-run triple by May-Lin McEvoy. The big inning for the Thoroughbreds gave them a 9-3 lead heading into the bottom of the fourth inning.

After Castleton stranded a pair of runners in the bottom of the fourth, Skidmore would get the bats going once again, as McEvoy ripped her second RBI triple of the game before scoring on a passed ball to make it 11-3 in favor of the visitors, ending the game in accordance with the eight-run rule after the Spartans failed to answer in the bottom of the fifth.

Carcaterra was shouldered with her first loss of the year, allowing nine runs, four of them earned, on eight hits and one walk in 1.1 innings of work. Cassidy Tedeschi went 1.2 innings in relief, allowing two runs on three hits. Wood earned a no-decision, getting the start and going two scoreless innings and striking out a pair of batters.

Castleton is back in action on Tuesday, when it hosts a doubleheader against Southern Vt. First pitch is scheduled for 3:30 p.m.