CASTLETON, Vt. – The Castleton softball team dropped a close 5-4 decision to Rhode Island College before storming back to take a 9-6 Game 2 victory.
Katie Gallagher earned the win in the circle as she held the Anchorwomen scoreless over the final four innings while a quartet of Spartans garnered multi-hit performances.
RIC 5, Castleton 4
In a back-and-forth affair, the Anchorwomen (3-12, 0-6 LEC) came out on top after jumping out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning. Alexis Boyce belted a two-run home run over the centerfield fence, forcing Castleton (10-6, 4-4 LEC) to manage an early deficit.
The Spartans cut the lead in half in the second inning as
Olivia Bowen recorded her first hit and RBI of the season to score
Allison Almond. In the next inning,
Machaila Arjavich scored on a wild pitch before
Kayla Fac recorded an RBI groundout, scoring
Jamie Boyle and giving Castleton a 3-2 advantage.
A three-run RIC fourth would ultimately sink the Spartans. Needing one run to tie the game and six outs to work with,
Jayna Ryan scored on a groundout by
Devin Millerick to cut the lead to one in the sixth frame.
Caitlin Lopez and Faith Turinese earned the win and save respectively while Arjavich took the loss. Gallagher pitched three scoreless innings in relief, allowing just a pair of hits.
Castleton 9, RIC 6
In a rollercoaster ride that included four lead changes, it was a sixth-inning rally that helped Castleton claim the nightcap.
Entering the inning locked at 6-6, Ryan and Boyle drew back-to-back walks before
Machaila Arjavich cleared the bases with a two-RBI double. Millerick would then groundout to score pinch runner
Erin Ricks for the Spartans' ninth run of the ballgame.
RIC struck first, but Castleton answered emphatically with a five-run first inning. A Boyle single put the Spartans on the board before Arjavich's first double of the day tacked on another. Arjavich would eventually score, along with Almond, who reached base on an error.
Gallagher continued her impressive day in the circle, posting zeros on the board in each of her four innings. The freshman threw just four pitches in the sixth inning, capped off by a highlight-reel grab by Millerick in centerfield, to set up the game-clinching home half of the sixth. Gallagher, who dropped her ERA to an impressive 1.31, picked up her third victory of the year.
Makenna Thorne, Ryan, Boyle, and Arjavich each tallied two hits in the game – Arjavich led the way with a trio of RBIs while Millerick and Boyle each notched two.
Castleton heads to Providence tomorrow to take on the Anchorwomen in an LEC doubleheader. Game 1 is set for 1 p.m.
