PLYMOUTH, N.H. -- Earning a come-from-behind victory in the first game of the doubleheader, the Castleton University baseball team split with Plymouth State in a Little East Conference matchup Tuesday afternoon at Parish Field.

Castleton 14, Plymouth State 11

With game one of the doubleheader counting towards the conference standings, the Spartans (6-6, 4-1 LEC) jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the top half of the second inning. Armando Cardenas gave the Spartans the early advantage with an RBI single through the left side of the infield as Adam Newton scored from second base. After a Hunter Perkins walk loaded the bases, Reece de Castro extended the lead with a single up the middle, giving the Spartans a 3-0 lead. Two more runs scored in the inning as both Evan Keegan collected an RBI single while Johnny McComas tallied an RBI on a hit-by-pitch.

Keegan, who tallied seven hits during the two games of the doubleheader, extended his hitting streak to 12 straight games and leads the team with a .429 batting average.

With Trevor Corlew earning the start on the mound for the Spartans, the Panthers struck back in the bottom half of the second inning, cutting into the Spartans' lead. Andrew Wasilefsk led off the inning with a single and then advanced to second on a stolen base. After Gavin Cook singled to center field, Andrew Salta tallied an RBI single, scoring Wasilefsk from third base. The Panthers added one more run, an RBI groundout from Luke Sokolski, cutting the deficit to 5-2.

The Spartans broke the game open in the top of the third inning, gaining a 7-2 advantage. With Cardenas in scoring position, Ryan Lawrence tallied his first hit of the game as he singled down the right-field line. De Castro doubled to left field later in the inning as Lawrence crossed the plate to extend the lead for the Spartans.

Two runs were scored for the Panthers in the top half of the fourth inning as Wasilefsk ripped a two-RBI home run to cut the deficit to 7-4.

With the Spartans leading 8-4 heading into the bottom half of the fifth inning, the Panthers scored seven runs they took the lead for the first time. Leading 11-8 at the end of the inning, the Panthers tallied five hits which included two doubles and a three-RBI home run off the bat of Drew Metzdorf.  

The Spartans showed their resiliency during the top half of the sixth inning, scoring three runs to tie the game at 11. Without recording a hit during the inning, the Spartans used five walks to gain some momentum while a McComas hit by pitch with the bases loaded scored the tying run.

The game remained tied throughout the next two and a half innings as the Spartans regained the lead in the top half of the ninth inning. Perkins led off the inning with a single through the right side of the infield and scored later on as Keegan doubled to right-center field. Two more runs were scored in the inning, solidifying the win for the Spartans as Newton tallied a two-RBI triple to right-center field, scoring both Keegan and Zac Willis.

Riley Orr earned the win for the Spartans as he pitched the final two innings allowing just two hits while striking out one batter. Corlew ended his outing with a no-decision, allowing seven runs on 10 hits in four innings of work.

Plymouth State 12, Castleton 11

With Richard Walker earning the start on the mound for the second game of the doubleheader, the Panthers responded and took a 2-1 lead after two innings of action. The Spartans had an early 1-0 lead but the Panthers regained the lead with RBI singles from Joe Routhier and Salta.

The Spartans responded and took the lead back in the top half of the third inning. After Cardenas earned a leadoff walk, three straight doubles from Lawrence, Perkins, and de Castro gave the Spartans a 4-2 lead.

Both teams added one more run apiece as the Spartans held a 5-3 lead heading into the bottom half of the fifth inning. The Panthers cut the deficit to one as Wasilefsk's RBI single to left field cut the Spartans' lead to 5-4.

With Meridius Pendell reliving Walker on the mound, the Panthers tied the game at six in the bottom half of the sixth inning. Salta led off the inning with a walk, followed by a Bryan Gallagher single through the right side of the infield. Salta would later score on a wild pitch and a Griffin Crane single would score the tying run.

Despite a go-ahead two-run home run from de Castro in the top half of the eighth inning, the game would get out of hand in the bottom half of the eighth as the Panthers tallied five runs. Highlighted by a Bryan McGrath two-RBI double down the left-field line, the Panthers recorded six hits to break the game open and take a 12-8 lead.

The comeback would fall short of the Spartans in the top half of the ninth inning as the team stranded two runners after scoring three runs to cut the deficit to 12-11.  

Castleton returns to action Saturday, April 17, as it will travel to Boston, Mass. to take on UMass Boston in a Little East Conference matchup. The first pitch of the doubleheader is scheduled for 2:30 p.m.