GORHAM, Maine - Competing in the Little East Conference Championship Tournament for the first time, the Castleton softball program earned a Game 1 victory over fourth-seeded UMass Dartmouth to earn a date with top-seeded Southern Maine. After falling to the Huskies, the Spartans dropped a rematch with the Corsairs in the elimination game.
Castleton 4, UMass Dartmouth 0
Castleton broke a scoreless tie in the third inning with back-to-back home runs by
Jamie Boyle and
Machaila Arjavich on consecutive pitches. Boyle's shot to left field marked her first of the season and fourth of her career. Arjavich went deep to dead center for her second of the year, which leads all Spartan batters.
Leading 2-0 heading into the final inning, the Spartans earned a pair of insurance runs thanks to RBIs from
Miranda Fish and
Makenna Thorne.
Devin Millerick led off the frame with a double, moved to third via
Kayla Fac's sacrifice bunt, then scored as Fish reached on a fielder's choice.
Makenna Thorne's double plated
Jayna Ryan, who ran for Fish.
Four different batters tallied an RBI. Thorne led the hits column with two.
Olivia Joy earned her first career complete-game shutout as she went the distance in the circle for the sixth time this season. The sophomore allowed one hit through the first three innings, facing the minimum as
Allison Almond turned a double play to end the third. The Corsairs nearly broke through in the fourth as they strung together a pair of two-out hits, but it was the glovework of Almond once again to end the threat. The Spartans were perfect in the field to help Joy earn her fifth victory of the season.
The win gave Castleton a date with top-seeded Southern Maine.
Southern Maine 4, Castleton 1
The Spartans struck first against the Huskies, but weren't able to pad their lead against a high-powered offense. Castleton had the bases loaded in the first inning when
Kate LaPan scored on a passed ball to give the fifth-seeded visitors a 1-0 lead. Starting pitcher Kirsten Pelletier and the Southern Maine defense would go on to record three straight outs to escape the jam.
Katie Gallagher saw a strong start on the mound, holding the Huskies hitless through the first two frames. The LEC top dogs got on the board in the fourth, however, as Ashley Tinsman homered to tie the game.
A sixth-inning rally led the Huskies to secure a spot in Thursday's action. Kaitlyn Nelson broke the tie with an inside-the-park home run before a double by Madison Day brought home two more.
Castleton nearly started the frame with a rally of its own.
Hannah Mosher led the inning with a walk and moved to second on Boyle's single. Both would steal to put runners on second and third with no outs, but the Spartans weren't able to get one across.
Gallagher pitched all six innings and allowed four earned runs on five hits.
Boyle and LaPan combined for five of Castleton's eight hits - Thorne, Mosher, and Fish contributed the other knocks.
UMass Dartmouth 4, Castleton 2
Despite a strong start, the Spartans couldn't claim a second victory over the Corsairs in the elimination game.
Boyle put Castleton up early with a first-inning home run, her second of the day. It marked the first multi-homer game of the junior's career.
The 1-0 lead would hold steady until UMass Dartmouth's Jill Richards homered in the fourth inning to tie the game. The Spartans answered quickly, though, as Almond singled to score Mosher, who slapped a one-out double.
The Corsairs took a two-run lead in the sixth when Kylie Fletcher blasted a three-run shot. Castleton brought the tying run to the plate in the seventh after Fac led the inning with a walk, but Richards was able to put the finishing touches on her complete-game victory.
Joy made her second start of the day and tossed five innings, allowing two earned runs on five hits. Gallagher recorded the final six outs for Castleton without allowing a hit.
Once again, Boyle led the way offensively with a pair of hits, including the home run. She totaled six hits and two RBIs in three games.
