MONTGOMERY, Ala. -- The Castleton baseball team was on the verge of claiming its fourth win of the season Friday night, but a four-run surge in the eighth inning by Huntingdon gave the Spartans a 7-5 loss.
Addison Schaub had a 3-for-4 day at the plate, doubling twice for the first time in his four-year career.
Reece de Castro had pairs of hits, runs, and RBIs including a triple.
Tyler McLain knocked in two runs as one of four Castleton (3-5) batters with one hit.
Tyler Dubreuil got his first career stolen base while
Kannon Dush and
Brandon Ramirez swiped one apiece. On the mound,
Aubrey Ramey was throwing a two-run gem through seven innings but ran into trouble to start the eighth, finishing the game with four strikeouts and one walk.
Owen Phelps entered with no outs in the eighth, allowing one run with a strikeout.
The Spartans got a single from
Hunter Perkins and a Schaub double to lead off the second frame, followed by Ramirez grounding into a fielder's choice that cut down Perkins at the plate. One batter later, Schaub was tagged out in another fielder's choice that allowed Dush to reach base.
Ryan Lawrence drew a walk, setting up de Castro to power a two-RBI single to center field. McLain picked up a base hit with runners on the corners, plating Lawrence and putting runners at first and third once again. The sophomore baited the Huntingdon (9-3) defense into a rundown that allowed de Castro to come across, capping a four-run tally. The Hawks got one back in the bottom half, scoring on an errant throw to make the score 4-1 after two.
After allowing another Hawk to score in the third, Ramey began to roll through the lineup as shortstop Lawrence turned a pair of twin-killings to hold off the home team. To start the seventh inning, de Castro smashed a ball that traveled nearly 400 feet to the deepest part of Neal Posey Field for a triple. McLain grounded out to pick up the RBI, pushing the gap to three. HC erased that run with their own tally in the next half-inning on two hits while forcing an error.
Evan Keegan led off the eighth with an HBP which allowed the speed of pinch-running Dubreuil to take second then move to third on a groundout. The Hawks eliminated the threat as Seth Killam fanned the next two Spartans. Riding the momentum swing, Huntingdon began their offensive half with two singles and a walk to force a pitching change. Phelps recorded a strikeout against his first batter, but a bases-clearing double followed by a one-RBI two-bagger put the Hawks in front. Dush collected his first hit of the day to start the ninth, but the next three went down in order to end proceedings at 7-5.
Due to weather concerns, the weekend slate has been modified so that the Spartans play two tomorrow. Castleton lines up against MUW at 11:00 a.m. EST, battling Edgewood afterward at approximately 2:30 p.m.
