PLYMOUTH, N.H. – Senior
Emily Bessette (Cranston, R.I.) delivered a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the 10th inning to lift Plymouth State University to a split of a Little East Conference (LEC) doubleheader with Vermont State University Castleton in the home opener at D&M Park on Tuesday afternoon.
The Spartans eked out a 1-0 win in game one, before Plymouth State walked off with a 3-2 win in the nightcap.
Castleton scored the game's lone run in the first inning on a two-out ground-rule double. Freshman
Allie Cecere (Plainville, Mass.) settled in from there, allowing just two hits the rest of the way. The Panthers were unable to generate offense, however, as the Spartans held on for the win.
Senior
Ariana Cray (Merrimack, N.H.) gave PSU an early lead in game two, but Castleton evened the score in the fifth and the game remained tied, 1-1, into extra innings. The Spartans took a 2-1 lead in the ninth, but a sacrifice fly from sophomore
Eva Zuber (Lakeville, Mass.) tied it in the bottom half.
Cecere stranded the automatic runner in the 10th with three infield popups. Senior
Kenzie Bessette (Cranston, R.I.) started the bottom half at second, moved to third on a wild pitch, and scored on
Emily Bessette's sacrifice fly to end the game.
Plymouth State improves to 9-12-1 (2-2 LEC), while Castleton moves to 14-7 (6-2 LEC).
The Basics:
- Game One: Plymouth State 0, VTSU Castleton 1
- Game Two: Plymouth State 3, VTSU Castleton 2 (10 Inn.)
- Plymouth State (9-12-1, 2-2 LEC)
- VTSU Castleton (14-7, 6-2 LEC)
How it Happened (Game One):
- The Spartans took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first with a two-out ground-rule double.
- Cecere worked around a leadoff single in the second, and sophomore Lilly Vetelino (Westerly, R.I.) recorded a two-out single in the bottom half but was stranded.
- K. Bessette reached on a fielder's choice with two outs in the third and stole second, but the Spartans escaped the inning.
- E. Bessette drew a two-out walk after a lengthy at-bat in the sixth, but Castleton held on.
By the Numbers (Game One):
- The Panthers had just three baserunners – Vetelino (single), E. Bessette (walk), and freshman Marisa Lizotte (North Andover, Mass.), who reached on an error.
- After allowing three baserunners in the top of the first, Cecere yielded just four the rest of the way.
- Cecere struck out four and allowed three hits in the complete game effort.
How it Happened (Game Two):
- Graduate pitcher Emily Antrim (Limerick, Maine) worked out of a jam in the second to keep the game scoreless.
- Senior Kiera Larson (Glenwood Springs, Colo.) singled in the bottom of the inning and pinch runner Samantha Durrenberger (Antioch, Calif.) stole second. Two batters later, Cray delivered an RBI single for a 1-0 lead.
- The Spartans threatened in the third, but Antrim induced a fly ball to escape.
- Castleton tied the game with a two-out RBI single in the fifth.
- The Bessette sisters followed with back-to-back infield hits, but PSU couldn't capitalize.
- A leadoff double in the ninth ended Antrim's day. Castleton loaded the bases with no outs, but Cecere limited the damage to one run.
- Cray and Lizotte singled in the bottom half before Zuber's sacrifice fly tied the game at 2-2.
- Cecere retired the side on three infield popups in the 10th before the Panthers walked it off.
By the Numbers (Game Two):
- Cray reached base three times with two singles and a walk, scoring once and driving in one.
- Freshman Addison Willett (Kingston, Mass.) added a single and two walks.
- K. Bessette singled, walked, and scored the winning run.
- Antrim went 8.0+ innings, allowing one run on six hits.
- Cecere earned the win with two hitless innings of relief.
- The teams have split each of the last three seasons.
Up Next:
- Plymouth State hosts New England College on Thursday (Apr. 16) with games at 3 p.m. and 5 p.m.
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