CASTLETON, Vt. – The Vermont State University Castleton softball team dominated in their home opener with 18 runs in 10 total innings in the series sweep against Norwich University. Alex Brouillette shined on the mound and at the plate. She punched out seven batters in game one and went 2-for-2 with a two-run home run in game two.
 
Records:
Game 1 – Castleton 8, Norwich 0 (5 Inn.)
VTSU Castleton (12-7, 2-2 LEC)
Norwich University (2-7, 1-3 GNAC)
 
Pitching Records:
VTSU Castleton: A. Brouillette (W, 5-2), 5.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 7 K
Norwich: M. McGinn (L, 2-4), 4.0 IP, 10 H, 8 R, 4 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
 
How It Happened:

• Castleton wasted no time getting the bats going as Alexis Rogers and Samera Rideout hit back-to-back doubles to give the Spartans the first run of the game.
• First-year Makayla Walsh smashed a single deep to center field to bring Rideout home and put Castleton up 2-0.
• Abby Hacker and Masson Billert followed up with back-to-back RBIs to cap off a five-hit first inning and put the score at 4-0.
• Brouillette made quick work of the Cadets, striking out the side to turn it back to the Spartans.
• Taylor Russell hit a double to left field to put herself into scoring position. On Castleton's next at bat, Russell made it home after an error by the Cadets, which extended Castleton's lead to five.
• Hacker collected her second RBI of the game with a single to center field, which saw Walsh turn the bases and reach home to make it a 6-0 game at the bottom of the second.
• The Spartans kept the Cadets in check, only allowing four runners to touch base the entire outing.
• In the fifth inning, Masson Billert hit a double to left field to get into scoring position. Jess Heinrichs took the next at-bat where she crushed a ball deep to right field, allowing for her to dash around the diamond for a two-run inside-the-park home run, putting the victory stamp down for the Spartans with an 8-0 win.

 
Records:
Game 2 – Castleton 10, Norwich 0 (5 Inn.)
VTSU Castleton (13-7, 2-2 LEC)
Norwich University (2-8, 1-3 GNAC)
 
Pitching Records:
VTSU Castleton: Lauren Ross (W, 1-2), 4.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 4 K
Norwich: K. White (L, 0-2), 4.0 IP, 13 H, 10 R, 10 ER, 2 BB, 0 K
 
How It Happened:

• Castleton picked up right where they left off with Walsh and Rogers getting themselves into scoring positions early. Francie McMahon took to the lineup in the second game, where she hit a single RBI through the left side on her first at-bat to give Castleton a 1-0 lead.
• Ross started on the mound for the Spartans, where she punched out two batters in the top of the second to keep the Cadets scoreless.
• In the bottom of the third, the Spartans looked to tack on more runs with two runners in scoring position. Kayleigh Osterhaudt sent home Walsh from third base with a sacrifice flyout to give Castleton their second run of the game.
• The fourth inning was all Castleton, as they popped off for eight runs on nine hits. The inning started with Gould reaching base with a single and advancing to third after Rogers' double put the two runners in scoring position.
• McMahon sent the two home with a single to deep right center, collecting her second and third RBIs of the game and putting the score to four.
• Hacker hit a single to right field to advance McMahon third. The Spartans strategic planning confused the Cadets infielding, which helped Hacker reach second. Osterhaudt then blasted a two RBI double deep to center field to extend Castleton's lead to six.
• Stepping up to the plate next was Brouillette, who obliterated the incoming pitch over the fence for a two-run home run to give Castleton an 8-0 lead. This was Brouillette's first home run of the season and the second of her career.
• Castleton didn't stop there, as Jordan Hill and Dana Elkins each reached base on singles and advanced to second and third after a wild pitch.
• Capping off the inning was Gould with a double that saw the runners cross home plate and put Castleton into a double-digit lead.
• Trista DeLong entered in the final inning for Castleton and was able to keep the Cadets from touching home plate and secure Castleton with a 10-0 victory.

 
What's Next:
VTSU Castleton host Southern Maine in a rescheduled series, which will now take place Sunday, April 13 starting at 12 p.m.