Merrill leads Panthers with two hits and three RBI

            PLYMOUTH, N.H. – Junior Luke Merrill (Pittsburgh, N.H.) cracked a three-run double to highlight a six-run first inning rally Tuesday afternoon, and that proved to be all Plymouth State University needed to defeat Castleton State College, 6-3, in a non-conference baseball game at Panther Park.

            The six runs were enough offense and four Panther pitchers combined to limit Castleton to three runs on seven hits.  Junior lefthander Bobby Chatfield (Sharon, Conn.) started and went four innings, allowing two runs on five hits, striking out three; sophomore Spencer Webb (Warwick, R.I.) followed with three innings of one-hit, one-run ball, fanning four; and sophomores Ryan Wakefield (Sanbornton, N.H.) and Rew Wilson (Niantic, Conn.) pitched one scoreless inning apiece.  Webb recorded his first win (1-2) of the season and Wilson earned his second save.

            PSU won for the sixth time in its last seven games, improving to 11-20 on the season, while Castleton had a four-game winning streak stopped and fell to 18-18 overall.

            After Merrill's three-run double in the first inning put PSU on the board, junior Mike Cappiello (Westfield, N.J.) brought Merrill home with an RBI double, and after an Anthony Vadala (Medford, Mass.) single, sophomore Joe Perry (Sandwich, Mass.) capped the rally with a two-run double to left.

            Castleton scored solo runs in the first, second and sixth innings.  Sophomore Zak Mayo delivered an RBI single in the first inning; freshman Joe Borowski singled in the second inning and came around to score on a passed ball and two infield grounders; and Mayo walked and eventually scored on an infield groundout in the sixth.

            Freshman lefty Adam Greenlese started for Castleton and worked six innings but took the loss (0-2).  Junior Tyler Erickson pitched two scoreless innings of relief for the Spartans, striking out three.

            PSU returns to Little East Conference action on Saturday, facing the University of Massachusetts Boston in a doubleheader that has been moved to 4:00 p.m.at Campanelli Stadium in Brockton, Mass.  Castleton will compete in the North Eastern Athletic Conference (NEAC) East play-offs this Friday and Saturday at Husson University in Bangor, Maine.

-- 30 --