The Middlebury baseball team downed in-state foe Castleton 18-11 on Wednesday afternoon. This marked the fourth game this season that the Panthers scored 18 or more runs. 
 
HIGHLIGHTS

• Middlebury wasted little time out of the gates, racing out to a 5-0 lead in its first at-bat. Jack Stolper highlighted the inning, blasting a double up the middle to drive in a trio of runs.
• A triple by Jackson Cardoza in the Spartans' half of the inning plated Evan Keegan to make it 5-1.
• In the fifth, singles by Nathan Samii and Andrew Gough plated a pair of runs, while Zip Malley's walk brought Samii home for the 9-1 advantage.
• Castleton's Kannon Dush made it 9-2 when he doubled, stole third and scampered home on a hard-hit single to the pitcher by Reece de Castro.
• The Panthers exploded for eight runs on four hits in the top of the sixth, taking a commanding 17-2 lead. Stolper, John Collins and Kyle McCausland each belted a homer.
• The Spartans had a big comeback bid in the bottom of the seventh, tallying six runs to make it 17-8. Castleton followed that inning with a pair of scores in the bottom of the eighth to cut the deficit to seven (17-10).
• Middlebury capped its scoring in the top of the eighth. Ben Slaughter walked, stole second and crossed home plate when Mitchell Schroeder singled through the left side for the 18-10 advantage.
• The Spartans tacked on a pair of runs in the eighth and a final tally in the ninth for the 18-11 final.

NOTES

• The Panthers have tallied 15 or more hits in six games this season.
• Middlebury and Castleton met for the 70th time, as the Panthers extended their lead to 38-32 in the all-time series. 

Middlebury returns to NESCAC play this weekend, hosting Hamilton for a three-game series, including Senior Day on Saturday.