SCHENECTADY, N.Y. – The Vermont State University Castleton softball team used 9-1 and 11-8 victories to sweep Union College at Alexander Field on Wednesday afternoon.
Alexis Rogers and Madison Gould turned in five-hit days with one double apiece as Gould drove home a team-high four runs. Allie Almond, Taylor Russell, and Abby Hacker each collected three knocks, combining for six RBIs. Samera Rideout and Brianna Belisle posted two-hit performances while Mikayla Brightman and Masson Billert were also part of the nine Spartans (13-13) with multiple hits, nabbing theirs in the first and second game, respectively.
Game 1: VTSU Castleton 9, Union 1
Fresh off being named Little East Conference Rookie of the Week, Gould pitched a two-hitter against the Garnet Chargers (6-20) with six strikeouts in a complete five innings.
Belisle, Almond, and Rogers singled to load the bases with one away in the opening frame. Russell took advantage with an RBI single, but Union was able to erase Almond in the process. Billert forced an error to reload the pond which set up a base hit from Gould, plating Rogers to end the opening half-inning at 2-0.
The Spartans also started hot in the second stanza as Brightman and Hacker tallied hits, then Belisle absorbed a pitch to force a change in the circle. Two batters later, Rideout grounded to shortstop but an errant throw caused two runners to score. Rogers drove in Almond on a single and Russell skied a sac fly to bring Rideout across, marking a big four-run inning for Castleton.
After shutting down the Union offense in order for a second time, Gould drew a walk and reached second base via error. Fellow rookie Hacker lined through the middle, trading places with Gould to set the same table for Belisle. The South Burlington, Vt. native deposited a ball into the left-center gap for a double, extending the lead to eight. Rideout whacked a right-side single, scoring Belisle to dive deeper into run-rule territory.
The ensuing four half-innings went quickly with neither side generating much offense, but the Garnet Chargers found a rhythm in the fifth and got two runners in scoring position. An RBI groundout produced Union's first run of the afternoon as Gould caught the next hitter looking, concluding the opening contest in five frames.
Game 2: VTSU Castleton 11, Union 8
Trista DeLong took the rubber to start the second matchup, fanning two with a pair of earned runs in three stanzas of work. Katie Gallagher turned in a 2.2-inning relief appearance to nab the decision while Rogers closed it, holding Union scoreless and earning her first career save.
DeLong stranded two runners in the bottom of the first, but the hosts broke through with a run in both the second and third innings.
The Spartans struck back in the fourth when Rogers and Russell started the half with hits, moving over on a sac bunt from Billert. Gould eliminated the deficit, sending a ball down the right-field line to tie proceedings at 2-all. Jess Heinrichs singled and Dana Elkins reached on an error, then a bases-loaded walk by Belisle gave the Spartans an edge. Almond tacked on an RBI single before Rideout's base hit up the middle brought two home, capping the outburst at six runs.
Following back-to-back hits, Union's Ellie Wintringer homered to left field to bring the Garnet Chargers within one after four complete innings.
Billert singled and Gould doubled to open the fifth, coming around moments later thanks to a Hacker hack that split the middle infielders.
Riding an 8-5 edge into the sixth frame, Rogers opened the sixth by recording a two-bagger and Russell followed with an infield single. Billert singled to shortstop as a throwing error allowed two to score. A wild pitch brought Billert to third base and a Gould single sent her home, stretching the gap to six.
The Garnet Chargers rallied with two outs in the bottom half, stacking three runs on three hits to cut the deficit to 11-8. The comeback attempt fell short, however, as Rogers left two aboard in both the sixth and seventh frames to notch the program's first save of the year.
Castleton returns to LEC play for the rest of the regular season, starting on Saturday, April 27 with a twinbill at WestConn beginning at 1 p.m.
