LITTLE RIVER, S.C. – The Vermont State University Castleton softball team only needed six innings to finalize its 8-0 shutouts of SUNY Delhi and Mount Saint Vincent on Saturday morning at the North Myrtle Beach Park and Sports Complex.
Alexis Rogers was a difference-maker at the plate, collecting four hits with five RBIs in the two-game set. Allie Almond picked up her 100th career hit during the second contest as she logged four base knocks and four runs scored while hitting a triple in both matchups. Fellow senior Brianna Belisle had a breakout day, compiling three hits, three RBIs, and three stolen bases.
Game 1: VTSU Castleton 8, SUNY Delhi 0
Rogers toed the rubber for the breakfast time duel, retiring a career-high nine hitters on strikes without issuing a walk.
Leadoff hitter Almond blasted a three-bagger in the Spartans' first at-bat. Belisle lofted a sacrifice fly to plate one and give Castleton an early lead.
The floodgates began to open in the third frame when Rideout and Belisle reached, the former coming across on a Rogers groundout. Stealing third and finding home on a wild pitch, Belisle's speed on the base paths made it a 3-0 ballgame. Taylor Russell and Madison Gould drew back-to-back walks, setting up Vinna Jensen to chart her first career hit and RBI.
After Rogers stranded three aboard in the top half of the fourth, Madison Hanna singled and came around to score as Belisle logged an RBI base hit and Almond crossed home, extending the gap to six.
Hanna doubled to start the sixth inning as Mikayla Brightman provided pinch-running relief, moving to third moments later. Belisle walked and bagged second base as Rogers powered a two-RBI single to end proceedings.
Game 2: VTSU Castleton 8, UMSV 0
Katie Gallagher spun a two-hitter with five strikeouts in a complete game to preserve her second victory of the young season.
The senior right-hander struck out the first three batters she faced, sending the Spartans to the plate. Almond pummeled another triple to the right center gap and scored on a wild pitch soon after. Rideout and Belisle reached on errors as Kayleigh Osterhaudt deposited an RBI single to right field to extend the edge to 2-0.
Rideout, Rogers, and Belisle strung together three consecutive singles to tally another run. Two batters later, Osterhaudt sacrificed to center field and brought Rogers home to double the Spartans' lead.
Brightman garnered her first career knock in the fourth, eventually being driven home by a Rogers single.
The rookie struck again in the sixth, leading off with a gap-bound double. Almond singled to the same location to eclipse the century mark in hits; Brightman scored and Almond reached third on an errant throw from the outfield. Reliable Rogers picked up an RBI single and Russell did the same, activating the run rule in an 8-0 victory.
The Spartans conclude their South Carolina trip tomorrow (Sunday, March 17) with an 11 a.m. meeting against Minnesota Morris followed by the finale versus SUNY Poly at 1 p.m.
