The Middlebury softball team swept a doubleheader on Monday against Vermont State University Castleton. The Panthers defeated the Spartans by a pair of 8-0 scores with each result coming in five innings.
 
GAME 1 HIGHLIGHTS

• Middlebury jumped on the scoreboard with a run in the bottom of the first. Kristyn Carroll singled to center field, stole second and third and raced home on a wild pitch for the 1-0 edge.
• The Panthers increased their lead with a pair of scores an inning later. McKenna Lont and Nina Schroeder each singled before Cate Viola was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Carroll looped a base knock to right to drive in Lont and Schroeder to make it a three-run contest.
• In the third, the Spartans manufactured a scoring chance. Madi Gould reached on a walk, AJ Rogers legged out an infield single and Taylor Russell pushed the runners up a base with a base knock to left. Lont worked out of the jam in the circle, inducing a popup to end the rally.
• The hosts added three more in the third for the 6-0 lead. Olivia Schultz drew a walk with the bases full of runners to bring Lont home, Viola lifted a sacrifice fly to bring in Uma Corcoran, and Schroeder scampered to touch home on a throwing error.
• Middlebury recorded an unearned run in the next frame. Olivia Scholes doubled to left and moved to third on a throwing error before making it 7-0 on a run-scoring single by Lont.
• Schultz began the fifth with a single through the right side and raced to third on a bunt double from Carroll. A few batters later, Scholes walked with the bases loaded to push across the eighth tally and enforce the NCAA eight-run rule. 

GAME 2 HIGHLIGHTS

• Carroll legged out an infield single in the first frame and advanced to second on a Castleton error. She swiped third and scored on a groundout off the bat of Scholes for the 1-0 edge.
• The Panthers made it a 2-0 contest in the second when they loaded the bases with three walks and Carroll drew a base on balls to score Lont.
• Middlebury kept the momentum going with four runs in the third, including back-to-back run-scoring singles by Lont and Corcoran as well as a sac fly by Viola for a 6-0 advantage.
• The Panthers completed the sweep with a pair of runs in the fifth on RBI singles from Olivia Fleming and Scholes for the final 8-0 count.

NOTES

• Carroll went a combined 5-for-6 with three RBI and scored twice in the twinbill.
• Lont earned the win in the circle during the opener, allowing just six hits over five innings and striking out six. She was a perfect 5-for-5 at the plate over the two contests, touched home four times and drove in two.
• Samantha Hausman twirled a gem in the second contest, facing just one batter over the minimum. She allowed just a second-inning single and struck out four. 
• Middlebury and Castleton played for the 40th and 41st times with the Panthers holding a 34-7 advantage in the series. Middlebury has won five of the last six meetings.

The Panthers return to action on Saturday when they open play on their spring trip with a 9:00 a.m. contest against Southern Maine at THE Spring Games in Florida.