CASTLETON, Vt. – The Vermont State University Castleton softball team handed Eastern Connecticut its first Little East Conference losses of the season on Saturday afternoon. The Spartans claimed a 3-0 victory in game one before completing the sweep with a 3-1 win in game two to move to the top of the leaderboard in the LEC.
Game 1
The Basics:
- Final Score: 3-0 Castleton
- Location: Castleton, Vt. | Spartan Softball Field
- Records: 12-6 (4-1 LEC) Castleton | 13-8 (4-1 LEC) Eastern Connecticut
How it Happened:
Makayla Walsh set the tone in the second inning with a double to deep center field and later scored on a single from
Abby Hacker, putting Castleton in front.
Maddy Dudley came up with a pair of highlight plays in the field, making diving catches in both the third and fourth innings to keep Eastern Connecticut from building momentum.
Walsh added on in the fourth, driving her second home run of the season over the fence. In the fifth inning,
Madison Gould doubled and eventually came around to score after a pair of Warrior errors, stretching the lead to 3-0. Gould handled the rest in the circle, keeping the Warriors off the scoreboard to secure the shutout victory.
Top Performers:
- Walsh and Hacker each recorded two hits and an RBI, while Gould added two hits.
- Gould tossed a complete-game shutout with eight strikeouts and no walks, improving to 8-1.
Game 2
The Basics:
- Final Score: 3-1 Castleton
- Records: 13-6 (5-1 LEC) Castleton | 13-9 (4-2 LEC) Eastern Connecticut
How it Happened:
Eastern Connecticut took a 1-0 lead in the third inning, capitalizing on a pair of errors before scoring on a sacrifice bunt.
The Spartans turned the game around in the fifth inning, as
Samera Rideout was hit by a pitch and
Caley Napoletano entered as a pinch runner. Gould followed with a walk to put two on, prompting a pitching change for the Warriors. On the first pitch from the new arm,
Alex Brouillette launched a three-run home run to left field, giving Castleton the lead for good.
Brouillette controlled the game from there, limiting the Warriors to one run over seven innings as the Spartans completed the sweep and handed Eastern Connecticut its first two conference losses of the season.
Top Performers:
- Brouillette totaled two hits and three RBIs, including the go-ahead run.
- She also earned the win in the circle, allowing one earned run with six strikeouts over seven innings.
What's Next
The Spartans will travel to Plymouth State for a Little East Conference doubleheader on Tuesday, April 14. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m.