BOSTON, Mass. – The Castleton softball team traveled south to face off against UMass Boston Tuesday afternoon, dominating Game 1, 7-1 before dropping Game 2 4-1, settling for the split in their final road series of the regular season.
 
Castleton 7, UMass Boston 1
 
The Spartans (14-12, 7-5 LEC) capitalized on seven Beacon errors in Tuesday's opener, scoring seven runs on eight hits in the convincing victory. Allison Almond and Alexandra Brouillette each had multi-hit games at the plate while Samera Rideout led Castleton with three RBIs. In the circle, Olivia Joy impressed once again allowing just one run and striking out four batters en route to her fifth complete game and sixth win.
 
After a quiet first two innings, the Spartans opened up the scoring with a three-run third frame to take the lead. Kayla Fac got on second via an error by UMass Boston's left fielder, advancing to third on a bunt by Hannah Mosher.
 
With runners on the corners, the graduate student stole second, forcing a pickoff attempt that allowed Fac to cross home plate to make it 1-0. A single from Almond put runners on first and third once again, setting up RBIs by Rideout and Alexis Rogers to put the Spartans up three.
 
Errors aided Castleton again in extending their lead to five in the fifth inning. Almond hit a leadoff single, advancing to second on a throwing error that put Rideout on first. After consecutive strikeouts, Brouillette ripped a double to left that would score both runners and put the Spartans ahead 5-0.
 
Castleton added their sixth and seventh runs in the ensuing inning when Rideout hit a single to left that scored Almond and Fac to bring her to three RBIs on the day. After Tuesday's games the freshman now shares the lead in RBIs at 18 to go along with a team-high .371 batting average.
 
The Beacons (18-14, 4-9 LEC) attempted to rally in the bottom of the sixth, racking up three hits and their lone run of the game in the frame, but Joy forced a crucial flyout with the bases loaded to end the inning before securing the win to stay a perfect 4-0 in LEC play.
 
Castleton 1, UMass Boston 4
 
Despite outhitting UMass Boston 7-6 in Tuesday's night cap, the Spartans were unable to convert on several of their opportunities, leaving 10 players on base in the 4-1 loss. Mosher, Rideout, and Rogers had two hits apiece, but Castleton struggled at the plate overall, striking out nine times in the contest.
 
In the circle, Rogers made the start allowing three runs in three innings of work before Katie Gallagher pitched two scoreless innings and Lauren Ross allowed one run across one inning in relief.
 
Castleton nearly jumped out to an early lead after putting together a two-out rally via singles consecutive singles from Rideout and Rogers and the Beacons' lone error of Game 2, but Brouillette was unable to capitalize ending the inning on a grounder back to the pitcher.
 
After a scoreless second from both sides, it was UMass Boston taking the lead in the third off of a fielder's choice and two-RBI single to make it 3-0.
 
The Spartans responded well with a run in the fourth on an RBI single from Mosher that scored Erin Ricks, and looked to cut into the lead once again in the fifth, but left a pair of runners on after Madison Wilson struck out to end the inning.
 
The Beacons added an insurance run on Ross in the bottom of the sixth before retiring the middle of Castleton's lineup in order to hand the Spartans the 4-1 defeat.
 
Castleton returns to action Wednesday, April 26 when they take on SUNY Canton in their annual Strike Out Cancer Games. First pitch of the doubleheader is at 3 p.m.