MANSFIELD, Conn. – Castleton softball took on top-seeded Eastern Connecticut in the second round of the Little East Conference playoffs Thursday afternoon, falling 8-0 to the hosts.
Olivia Joy started in the circle for the second straight day, allowing a pair of runs across four innings before
Alexis Rogers and
Katie Gallagher were both unable to get out of the fifth en route to the run-rule loss. At the plate,
Hannah Mosher and
Alexandra Brouillette were the lone Spartans to register hits, with several other would-be base knocks getting robbed by impressive defensive plays by the Warriors.
Each side got a runner on in the opening inning but could not capitalize before Castleton (19-15, 10-8 LEC) threatened first in the second. Rogers kicked off the inning by reaching first on an error by the shortstop, advancing to second on a single to left by Brouillette. On the ensuing at-bat,
Erin Ricks laid down a bunt that gave Eastern Connecticut's pitcher trouble and loaded the bases. With just one out,
Kayla Fac battled in the box to a full count before hitting a liner to the shortstop that resulted in a double play to end the inning.
The Spartans found themselves on the wrong end of a similar situation in the third when the Warriors (27-8, 17-0 LEC) loaded the bases with two outs, but Joy forced a popup into shallow right that
Allison Almond took care of to keep it a scoreless affair.
Castleton went down in order in the fourth before a pair of walks and a single by EastConn loaded the bases once again, with a fielder's choice putting the host ahead 1-0. Another hitless fifth kept the Spartans down a run, setting up a seven-run home half in which Joy, Rogers, and Gallagher all saw action but could not retire EastConn's batters, leading to the run-rule and 8-0 defeat.
The Spartans return to Clyde Washburn Field tomorrow at 3 p.m. with their opponent yet to be determined.
