Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

TROY, N.Y. – Sophomore Kristina Weltzin threw a one-hitter in game one and freshman Victoria Hepworth worked 5.1 innings of scoreless relief in game two, to lead the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) softball team to a doubleheader sweep of Castleton State, 8-0 and 6-3. With the wins, the Engineers improve to 10-4 overall, while the Spartans drop to 2-10.

Welztin (Commerce Town, MI/Walled Lake Northern) and Castleton State righthander Emily Sweeney (Weare, NH/John Stark) were locked in a pitcher's duel through the first three innings.

RPI broke the scoreless tie in the bottom of the fourth, plating six runs on five hits. Junior Dani Grage (Pittsford, NY/Pittsford Mendon) got the scoring started with an RBI-single that brought home classmate Tori Hunt (Cheshire, MA/Hoosac Valley). After a sac fly by sophomore Jena Servidone (East Greenbush, NY/Columbia) made it 2-0, Weltzin helped herself with the bat, driving in a run with a long double to center. Senior Amiee Konet (Houston, TX/Friendswood) capped frame with a two-run single.

The Engineers then added two more runs in the sixth to force the mercy rule. A double-steal resulting in freshman Morgan Ten Eyck (Guilderland, NY/Guilderland) scoring from third was followed by a game-ending RBI-single off the bat of Konet.

Weltzin allowed just one hit over the 6.0-inning contest, striking out eight, while walking one. The shutout was her third of the season and seventh of her career.

Game two saw the visitors jump out to an early 3-0 lead, scoring a run in the first and two more in the second. Freshman Kristi Lawless (Fort Montgomery, NY/James I. O'Neill) knocked in the game's first run with a double, which was backed up by a sac fly and a run-scoring single off the bats of senior Caylee Fleury (Barre, VT/Spaulding) and Brittany Brayman (Fort Anne, NY/Hartford), respectively.

Rensselaer answered immediately, scoring three times in the bottom of the second. Grage led off the inning with her first collegiate home run, over the fence in left-center. Sophomore Jocilyn Rudisill (Galloway, NJ/Absegami) then knotted the game at 3-3 with an RBI-base hit.

Hunt put the hosts on top for good in the bottom of the fourth when her groundout to third platted Taylor Ten Eyck (Guilderland, NY/Guilderland) from third. The Engineers added a pair of insurance runs in the stanza on a two-run single to right by senior Gillian McCarthy (Worthington, OH/Thomas Worthington).

Hepworth, who entered the game with two on and two out in the top of the second, allowed just four hits over 5.1 innings to earn her first collegiate victory from the circle. She struck out four, while walking one.

The Engineers are back in action next Tuesday, when they host Plattsburgh State at Doris Robison Field (3pm). Castleton State hosts Green Mountain on Saturday (12pm).