WILLIMANTIC, Conn. – The Castleton baseball team opened up conference play with a double header against Eastern Connecticut State University Saturday afternoon, dropping Game 1 12-3 before suffering the weekend sweep with a 13-3 loss in Game 2.
Game 1: Castleton 3, EastConn 12
The Warriors (12-1, 2-0 LEC) jumped out to an early 6-0 lead two innings into the day's opening game, but the Spartans (5-8, 0-2 LEC) would respond well with to keep the game close.
Ryan Lawrence got things started in the third inning with a single to short before
Hunter Perkins hit his second homerun in as many games to cut the deficit to four. An RBI-single from
Carson Mosher made it a 6-3 game, but that would be the last run Castleton scored in Game 1, as Eastern Connecticut would score four in the sixth and two in the seventh to hand the Spartans the 12-3 loss.
Riley Orr (1-3) made the start for Castleton, allowing nine runs — eight earned — and striking out one batter through 5.1 innings of work.
Game 2: Castleton 3, EastConn 13
The Spartans struck first in Saturday's finale, with
Reece de Castro's first homer on the season giving Castleton the 1-0 lead, but a two-run bottom of the frame would give the Warriors the lead before the inning could end. EastConn's 2-1 lead ballooned to 8-1 heading into the eighth before the Spartans' last ditch effort at a comeback fell short.
Lawrence once again kicked off the inning by drawing a walk before stealing second.
Jesus Cardenas was also walked before Perkins hit an RBI single up the middle to score Lawrence. De Castro brought Castleton one run closer with his second RBI on the day, scoring Cardenas, but the Warriors would score five runs in the bottom of the inning to enforce the mercy rule and take the 13-3 win.
Zack Marlow (1-2) suffered his second loss of the season in Saturday's second game, allowing five earned runs and striking out four batters in five innings.
The Spartans return to action Wednesday, March 30 with a matchup against Skidmore College. First pitch is scheduled for 4 p.m.