CASTLETON, Vt. – The Castleton softball team put on a clinic against SUNY Cobleskill in front of the home fans Tuesday afternoon, taking Game 1 of the doubleheader 10-2 before clinching their second consecutive sweep with a 5-1 Game 2 victory. The wins extend the Spartans' streak to four, as they have now outscored opponents 28-6 in that span.
Castleton 10, SUNY Cobleskill 2
The Spartans (8-8, 3-1 LEC) picked up right where they left off from last Saturday's sweep over Keene State, reaching double figures in scoring for the second straight game and fourth time this season while holding the Fighting Tigers (3-16, 0-3 NAC) to just two runs. Castleton also outhit Cobleskill 11-2, helping
Alexis Rogers secure her third win of the year in an outing in which the freshman allowed just two hits and two runs — neither earned — across five innings.
It was the Fighting Tigers getting on the board first in Tuesday's opener, capitalizing on an early error to put a pair on the board. Responding with a crooked number of their own, however, were the Spartans, who scored three in the home half to take the lead for the first and only time.
Kate LaPan kicked things off with a leadoff walk — one of three she drew in Game 1 — before a pair of singles by
Allison Almond and
Samera Rideout loaded the bases. Rogers scored one run with a sacrifice fly to deep center, and one two-RBI double from
Miranda Fish later, Castleton saw themselves go up 3-2.
The Spartans scored one run in each of the ensuing three innings, with LaPan, Fish, and Rogers all crossing Homeplate, putting Castleton up 6-2 heading into the fifth inning. In the top of the frame, Rogers retired the Cobleskill batters in order before the Spartans tacked on four runs in the home half to force the mercy rule.
LaPan once again got things going with a single to center, subbing out after reaching first to let the speedy
Dana Elkins take her place. A walk from
Hannah Mosher moved Elkins to second before Rideout struck again, ripping a single back up the middle that would score the freshman to put Castleton up five. Rogers loaded the bases once again with a hard-hit single to third base, and consecutive drawn walks by Fish and
Alexandra Brouillette made it a 9-2 game.
With the bases still loaded,
Sydney Miller stepped in to pinch hit with the hopes of sealing the game and did just that. Swinging early in the count, the fifth-year student sent a long ball to right field that dropped, scoring Rogers and clinching the 10-2 win.
Castleton 5, SUNY Cobleskill 1
The Spartans once again wasted no time getting on the board in Tuesday's finale, scoring four runs in the opening inning to take a commanding lead.
LaPan reached first on an error by the Fighting Tigers' pitcher, advancing to second on a single into right center by
Hannah Mosher. Almond ripped a double into left on the ensuing at bat to score LaPan before Fish was hit by a pitch to set Brouillette up with the bases loaded.
Jumping on the opportunity, the freshman hit a blooper into right field that scored both Almond and Mosher to put Castleton ahead 3-0.
Madison Hanna got on base after drawing a walk, and another error allowed the fourth Spartan run of the inning to score before three consecutive outs ended the frame.
Cobleskill stole a run back in the second inning before the game settled into a pitcher's duel, with Castleton's
Katie Gallagher and the Fighting Tigers' Marissa Wheeler retiring each of the next six batters they faced.
After both sides got runners on in the fourth, Rideout opened the fifth inning with her fourth hit on the afternoon. Rifling a double to left field, the freshman put herself in scoring position, and two at-bats later would cross home on a single from Rogers to put the Spartans up 5-1.
Having entered in relief in the fifth,
Lauren Ross forced a double play to get out of the sixth before a trio of groundouts ended the game and secured the sweep for Castleton.
Gallagher made her third start of the season in the win, allowing just one run across a season-high four innings of work before Ross threw three scoreless frames to tally her first career save.
The Spartans are back in action Wednesday, April 12 when they travel in-state to take on Norwich University. First pitch of the non-conference doubleheader is set for 3:30 p.m.
