Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 Game 1 Box / Game 2 Box

CASTLETON, Vt. - Rookie hurler Kristina Weltzin struck out nine batters over seven scoreless innings to lead the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) softball team to a doubleheader split at Castleton State.  The Engineers, who won game two by a 2-0 margin, move to 8-8 on the season.  The homestanding Spartans are now 4-10 overall after posting a 6-3 win in game one.

In the win, it was a scoreless affair until the top of the second when with a runner on base, sophomore Tori Hunt (Chester, MA/Hoosac Valley) tripled to center field to bring in junior Aimee Konet (Houston, TX/Friendswood).

The Engineers made it a 2-0 advantage in the top of the sixth after a walk to senior Sara Heller (Guilderland, NY/Guilderland) and a single off the bat of junior Gillian McCarthy (Worthington, OH/Thomas Worthington) saw RPI with two runners on.  Sophomore Charlene Osmanski (Elmhurst, IL/York) then reached on an error and despite McCarthy being tagged at second, Heller was able to advance and score to further the lead.

Weltzin (Commerce Town, MI/Walled Lake Northern) surrendered just four hits in the outing, while also walking five batters.  At the plate, senior Samantha Paulding (Baldwinsville, NY/C.W. Baker) was a solid 2 for 3 in the game.

The Spartans grabbed a 1-0 lead to open game one in the bottom of the first, but Rensselaer answered in the top of the third.  The Engineers pushed two across behind a two-out double to left field off the bat of McCarthy.  The 2-1 lead was short-lived as Castleton State broke open the game with four unanswered runs in its half of the third.

Leading the four-hit charge for the Spartans were junior Mercedes Maltbie (Warrensburg, NY/Warrensburg) and rookie Stephanie Sylvester (Swanton, VT/Mississquoi Valley), who singled and doubled, respectively, to bring runs across and give the home team a 5-2 lead.  The Engineers brought another run across in the top of the seventh as freshman Jocilyn Rudisill (Galloway, NJ/Absegami) singled up the middle to bring in senior Kelly Erkert (Burlington, NJ/Burlington Township), but RPI could not close the gap.

In the circle, Osmanski shouldered the loss, allowing five runs on six hits over 3.0 innings.  Weltzin came on for the final three frames, surrendering just one run on two hits, while striking out five.  At the plate, both Hunt and Rudisill were 2 for 3, while Erkert went 3 for 4 with a run scored.

For Castleton State, junior Taylor Lively (Greenfield, MA/Greenfield) pitched the victory. She allowed three runs on 12 hits with six strikeouts and no walks.

The Engineers return to action on Tuesday with a doubleheader at Mount Saint Mary College (3:30pm).  The Spartans are back on the field on Saturday at Green Mountain (1pm).