VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. – The Castleton baseball team opened up their regular season with a matchup against Virginia Wesleyan Tuesday afternoon, allowing three unearned runs en route to an 8-3 loss.
 
Riley Orr (0-1) earned the start, the second of his career, in the Spartans' season-opener. After letting up two runs in the first on back-to-back RBI doubles, the junior went the next three allowing just two hits, two runs — one earned — and striking out a pair.
 
On the other side, Castleton (0-1) struggled to get their bats going early as well, and were held without a hit through the game's first four innings before finally getting on the board in the fifth.
 
Ryan Lawrence began the inning by drawing a walk, and advanced to third after a wild pitch and groundout by Jesus Cardenas. The senior would then score on another passed ball for the Spartans' opening run of the afternoon. Reece de Castro drew another walk and stole second to give Castleton a chance to inch closer, but the Spartans were unable to capitalize after Evan Keegan struck out to end the inning.
 
Castleton kept their bats rolling in the sixth, getting their only two hits of the day and scoring two runs in the frame to make it a 4-3 game. Freshman Carson Mosher got things started with a single up the middle before stealing second.
 
The Spartans had runners at the corners after Willis was walked before Jake O'Brien ripped a shot into right center field to score both runners. O'Brien advanced to third and another walk put Lawrence on first, but freshman Dillon Pallotto hit into a double play to end the inning, leaving two men on base.
 
Out of the bullpen, Max Olmsted allowed two runs and struck out six through three innings of work before Zack Marlow allowed another two runs — both unearned — in the eighth to extend Virginia Wesleyan's lead to five and hand Castleton the 8-3 loss.
 
The Spartans are back in action Wednesday, Feb. 16 to take on Newport News Apprentice School, with the opening pitch set for 3:00 p.m.