CASTLETON, Vt. — The Castleton baseball team used a late eight-run charge to take down Union College, 10-5, Tuesday afternoon.
Jack Boyle had a phenomenal outing as the Spartans' (12-16) designated hitter, going 3-for-3 with a walk and two RBIs. Jackson Cardozo lifted a three-run homer out of Spartan Field, one of the sophomore's trio of hits. Reece de Castro also left the yard with a solo shot as he was 2-for-5 with three ribbies. Hunter Perkins added two hits, including a double, and drew two walks. Trey LaVigne experienced an interesting day in the batter's box, being plunked three times and walking once.
Starting pitcher Stephen Coffey was solid, giving up two hits and three walks which resulted in one run during five innings of work. Owen Phelps improved his record to 2-0, tossing 1.2 frames in relief while limiting Union (12-13) to two hits and one run. Jack Callahan earned his first career save in a scoreless two-inning effort, striking out two.
Union plated one in the top of the first, keeping the edge through three innings of play. After a 1-2-3 frame by Coffey, Castleton jumped on the visitors' new arm in the fourth stanza. Cardozo singled and moved into scoring position on a passed ball, joined by Perkins on the paths moments later. Ludlow, Vt. native Boyle demolished a ball to left field, scoring Cardozo to knot proceedings at one. LaVigne wore a pitch to load the bases, then Kannon Dush walked for the lead-taking RBI.
A three-walk, two-hit top of the sixth allowed Union to overtake the Spartans by two. Perkins led off the home half with double, Boyle got walked, and another pitch struck LaVigne. De Castro lined a ball through the middle, scoring two to tie the ballgame at 4-4. Union would retaliate with a solo homer in the seventh, but Cardozo's towering bomb to right field scratched three across in Castleton's offensive half.
Callahan entered and was flawless in the eighth, receiving added run support thanks to a de Castro no-doubter — the squad's 20th home run of 2023. Tyler Dubreuil collected an infield single and swiped second base, Keegan was hit by a pitch, and Cardozo tallied an RBI single. A Perkins walk set up a sac fly by Boyle, extending the lead to 10-5. LaVigne absorbed another delivery before a fielder's choice got Union out of the inning.
Maneuvering around a pair of singles, Callahan stranded both runners on to bag the save and secure a Spartan victory.
Castleton is back in Little East Conference action this weekend, hosting Plymouth State on Saturday, April 18. First pitch of the two-game series is at 1 p.m.
