Lady Spartans recover after slow start
The Castleton University softball team went 3-1 last week after two scheduled doubleheaders versus Bay Path and Western Connecticut.
The trip to Bay Path saw the Spartans score a total of 39 runs over the course of the doubleheader. Those 39 runs are the most they have put on the board since 2006.
Senior first basemen Tori Swaine would end up picking up her 100th career hit as a Spartan, but didn’t realize in until after the game.
“It was pretty rewarding to hear that I’ve reached that milestone,” Swaine said.
Coach Eric Ramey was clearly proud of his star player while chatting about her after the game.
“I knew she was gonna be a strong offensive player when she first joined the program,” he said. “I’m happy she’s playing for us and not against us.”
Jamie Boyle hit for the cycle in game two versus Bay Path, but like Swaine, she wasn’t aware of the feat.
“I actually didn’t even realize I hit for the cycle until after I was told after the game,” she said.
The Spartans would then split their Little East Conference doubleheader versus Western Connecticut on Friday morning. Game one saw the Spartans start off sloppy in the field with two errors in the first inning that led to two runs by the Colonials.
But the very next inning, the Spartans would get on the board courtesy of a solo shot from Machaila Arjavich. In the third, the Spartans would keep the bats hot as Megan Fish picked up an RBI single. The other two Spartan runs would come on a passed ball and wild pitch.
Kylie Wright was once again strong in the circle for the Spartans going the distance in game one. Wright’s final line was seven innings, nine hits, two earned runs, and three strikeouts. The Spartans would come away with a 4-2 win in game one.
After the game, Ramey said “we’re fortunate to come away with the win.” He mentioned the youth and early start time as some of the reasons for the team’s struggles at times, but he said he has seen progress in the team.
In game two, the bats wouldn’t stay hot as the Spartans would lose 8-1. It came in part of as a result of a tough outing by freshmen Olivia Bowen. Bowen would go an inning and a half giving up five runs on two hits, four walks and no strikeouts. She struggled out of the gate walking the first two batters before Charline Plasczynski took her deep for a three-run shot. The Spartans would finally end up getting on the board in the ninth courtesy of an RBI single from Devin Millerick.
The Spartans will wrap up regular season play on Saturday as they host Rhode Island College in a Little East double-header beginning at 2 p.m.