WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. – After taking an early five-run lead, the Castleton baseball team's defense held off Williams to log a 6-5 victory over the Ephs at Bobby Coombs Field Wednesday.
Following the cancellation of Tuesday's contest at Skidmore, the Spartans (8-11) showed their collective hunger for action as the lineup collected eight hits. Trey LaVigne and Mikey Raby picked up two base knocks apiece, the first of their careers. Raby's first career tally was a triple as the freshman stole home later that inning. Kannon Dush went 2-for-5 with an RBI, making four multi-hit performances in the last six games. Hunter Perkins led the squad with two RBIs thanks to a double as Evan Keegan also doubled to drive in a run while crossing the plate three times.
In his second career start, Adam Winchell posted his best outing of 2023 as the Fort Ann, N.Y. native posted 2.0 scoreless innings, striking out a pair while allowing no hits. The squad's first reliever Stephen Coffey got the decision with a two-frame afternoon, fanning three and holding the Ephs (7-8) to two runs. Brayden Howrigan, the last of six relief pitchers, struck out two hitters in the ninth to earn his fourth save of the year.
Leading off the third inning, Tyler McLain walked and got into scoring position after a failed pickoff. A Keegan double brought the sophomore infielder home as Perkins forced the Williams shortstop to commit an error, chalking up another run. In the bottom half, Coffey collected a K and stranded a runner 90 feet from home.
Raby opened the fourth stanza with a three-bagger to left center and McLain followed with a walk. McLain took off for second to encourage a throw, allowing Raby to dash home and extend the gap to three. Jackson Cardozo earned a free pass, Keegan reached via fielder's choice, and Perkins doubled down the right field line to make it a 5-0 advantage for the visitors. A trio of hits allowed the Ephs to get two back in the home half.
With two away in the sixth, walks by Keegan and Perkins set up an RBI single by Dush. The Spartans had two in scoring position after a wild pitch, but Williams limited the damage to one. The Ephs narrowed the deficit to two runs after a passed ball and fielder's choice allowed a pair of runners to come across. A two-out rally in the seventh inning nearly allowed Williams to tie it up, but Owen Phelps left the tying run at third. Ethan Nichols and Howrigan each stranded a runner in the eighth and ninth frames, respectively, to secure the 6-5 triumph.
Next up for the Spartans is a Little East Conference doubleheader on Saturday, April 8 at home against Rhode Island College. First pitch of game one is scheduled for noon.
