CASTLETON, Vt. – The Castleton baseball team hosted Middlebury in their home finale Tuesday afternoon, dropping a high-scoring Game 1 before claiming a Game 2 victory to earn the split and prevent the series sweep.
Game 1: Castleton 6, Middlebury 11
Both teams came out swinging in Game 1, tallying four runs each through the game's first two innings before the Panthers (24-10, 9-2 NESCAC) ran away with it late.
Stephen Coffey (0-4) took the loss, allowing seven runs — four earned — through three innings of work, while
Reece de Castro continued to shine at the plate, going a perfect 3-3, scoring twice and tallying one RBI.
Middlebury struck first with a four-run top of the first, but the Spartans (11-20-1, 4-10 LEC) responded well to tie the game after two. After scoring one run in the bottom of the first to cut the deficit to three, the Spartans got RBIs from de Castro,
Evan Keegan and a little help from Middlebury's infield to tie the game at four heading into the third.
The Panthers, however, responded with a three-run third inning to take the lead for good, fending off a solo shot from
Addison Schaub in the third— his second of the year — and an RBI single from
Brandon Ramirez in the fourth with insurance runs in the fifth and seventh to claim the 11-6 Game 1 victory.
Game 2: Castleton 5, Middlebury 3
The Spartans jumped out to an early lead in Tuesday's nightcap and never fell behind en route to a 5-3 victory and series split.
Max Olmsted (2-4) earned his second win of the season, entering the game in relief and allowing one unearned run in two innings before
Owen Phelps secured his team-high third save of the year, throwing a scoreless seventh for Castleton.
After starting pitcher
Trevor Corlew retired Middlebury's first three batters, the Spartans scored three quick runs to jump in front. De Castro started things off with a walk, advancing to second on a wild pitch before an RBI double from Keegan scored the senior. Consecutive fielder's choices allowed Keegan to score and set up
Jesus Cardenas at first, eventually making his way to third off a stolen base and wild pitch before Schaub brought him home on an RBI single.
The Panthers would score one run in each of the next three innings to knot the score at three before Castleton answered with runs in the fourth and fifth innings to take the 5-3 lead and clinch the 5-3 win.
The Spartans wrap up their regular season Friday, May 6 with an LEC matchup against Southern Maine for a shot at the playoffs. First pitch of the twin bill is set for 12 p.m.
