AMHERST, Mass. – The Spartans scored 11 runs in the first three innings of play and never looked back, as they upset 19th-ranked Amherst College this afternoon at Memorial Field, 11-6.
Nick Swim delivered an outstanding performance to push his hitting streak to 16 games. The senior went 3-for-5 at the plate with two doubles, four RBIs and one run scored. Taylor Vile added two hits, two runs scored and one RBI, while Deagan Poland went 2-for-3 with three walks and three runs scored.
Sam Spencer picked up the win, despite struggling early on. The senior went six innings, allowing six runs (five earned) with six strikeouts. Steven Jurkiewicz closed out the contest with three scoreless innings in relief to help the Spartans capture their ninth straight win and improve to 17-9 on the season.
Yanni Thanopoulos led the Purple and White's attack, going 2-for-4 with two doubles, two RBIs and two runs scored. Max Steinhorn and Harry Roberson scored two runs apiece, while Conner Gunn drove in three runs. Keenan Szulik took the loss after giving up seven runs in one inning of work. George Long, Mike Castiglie and Andrew Ferrero tossed a joint five innings of shutout relief, as Amherst dropped to 16-6 overall.
The Spartans got off to a quick start with a pair of runs in the top of the first to take an early lead. With runners on the corners and one out, Dan Errico's fielder's choice to second brought Poland home for the first run of the game. Jim Buckley ripped an RBI single to right later in the frame to give the away side a 2-0 lead.
That advantage didn't last long, as Amherst responded with three runs in the bottom half of the frame to go in front, 3-2. Spencer struck out the leadoff man before three straight players reached to load the bases. Gunn then stepped up and delivered a bases-clearing double to deep centerfield to hand the hosts their first lead of the game.
Castleton responded with five runs from three hits in the second to reclaim the lead. Vile kicked off the rally with an RBI single to left to tie the game at three. Swim followed with a three-run double to center before scoring on a balk to make it 7-3.
Vile and Swim were at the thick of things again in the third to help the Spartans extend their lead to 11-3. Vile's grounder to short began the scoring, as the shortstop was unable to handle his hit and allowed a pair of runners to score. In the next at-bat, Swim knocked a two-run double to center to put the visitors in front by eight.
The Purple and White cut their deficit to five with three runs in the bottom of the fourth, but Spencer and Jurkiewicz stifled the Amherst attack from there, tossing five scoreless innings to help the Spartans capture the upset victory, 11-6.
Castleton returns to action with a pair of midweek matchups against Norwich and New England College. The Spartans face the Cadets on Tuesday at 3:30 pm in non-conference play before playing a North Atlantic Conference doubleheader against the Pilgrims the following afternoon at 2 pm.