(Game 1 Box) (Game 2 Box)

            CASTLETON, Vt. – Castleton State College freshman Taylor Lively (Greenfield, Mass.) struck out eight batters and allowed only one earned run over seven innings in game one, and Plymouth State University senior Kay LaBrie (Somersworth, N.H.) went 4-for-5 with three runs scored and two RBI in game two Tuesday afternoon as the Spartans and Panthers split a non-conference softball doubleheader.

            Castleton won the opener, 4-3, and Plymouth State came back to take the nightcap, 9-4.  The Spartans move to 10-13 on the season, while the Panthers are 7-12overall.

            Lively improved to 4-2 overall with the win in game one, giving up six hits, three runs (one earned) and no walks. PSU sophomore Ali Keith (Northfield, N.H.) was dealt the loss

            Plymouth State opened up the scoring in the top of the first as sophomore Heather Blase (Milford, N.H.) hit a RBI double to right field and junior Andrea Pydynkowski (Danvers, Mass.) followed with a double to deep left centerfield to scoring Blase for a 2-0 lead.

            Castleton cut the lead in half in the bottom of the second Abbey Hewes (Salt Lake City, Utah) smacked an RBI double to left.  The Spartans took a 3-2 lead with two runs in the fourth, as Hewes knocked in a run with an opposite field double to the right center and came home when Sarah Flore (Springfield, Vt.) roped a single to left. Sophomore Allie Luisi (No. Kingstown, R.I.) made it 3-3 with a sacrifice fly to left in the fifth inning.

            Castleton manufactured the game-winning run in the bottom of the fifth as shortstop Megan Blongy (Rutland, Vt.) singled to lead off the frame, advanced to second on a ground out and was driven home by Hilary Bemis (Crown Point, N.Y.) on a single through the left side of the infield.

            Freshman Jenn Bove (Medford, Mass.) had the Panthers' only multi-hit performance at the plate in the opener with a 2-for-3 day.
            Freshman Diana Bean (Danvers, Mass.) earned the win for PSU in game two, throwing six-and-two-thirds innings allowing nine hits, four runs (three earned) one walk and five strikeouts. Freshman Dom Heres (Salem, N.H.) came on to get the final out and preserve the victory.

            The teams were tied 3-3 in the top of the sixth inning when the Panthers offense broke the game open with a three-run outburst. Bove drove in a run with a RBI groundout, LaBrie tripled and was plated by Luisi with a single to left field and Kortney Nedeau (Kennebunk, Maine) notched an RBI single to left.

            LaBrie was the catalyst to another three-run inning in the top of the seventh, smashing a double to left field knocking in two runs. Luisi plated LaBrie from second with an RBI double to deep left.  Hewes homered in the bottom of the seventh for Castleton, her first of the season, to left field to round out the scoring.

            Luisi went 2-for-5 with two RBI for PSU, while Nedeau was 2-for-4 with two RBI, including a solo home run.  Julie Benzenberg (Pine Bush, N.Y.) went 2-for-3 for Castleton with an RBI single, and designated player Shannon Jipner (Bristol, Vt.) went 3-for-4 with two RBI.

            PSU returns home to play its home opener Thursday at D&M Park against Fitchburg State College.  Castleton returns to action Wednesday at Lyndon St. in North Atlantic Conference play. 

(Courtesy of Castleton Sports Information)

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