TROY, N.Y. – The Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) softball team opened their season in Troy a little different than usual, playing as the visiting team against the Castleton University Spartans on Tuesday afternoon. Despite the game specifics, the Engineers took both games in the doubleheader, winning 12-4 (5 innings) and 6-4 to push their win streak to seven games. With the wins, RPI moves to 8-4 overall on the season, while Castleton falls to 3-5 on the year.
 
Game 1
RPI opened the scoring in the top of the first inning, as Erin Askins led off the game with a single down the left field line. She found her way around the bases as she scored on double steal with runners on the corners. Wrapping up the scoring in the inning was an RBI double from Alex Ledger to make it 2-0 Engineers.
 
Castleton responded with a run in the bottom of the first, as a single to right field from Miranda Fish scored Allie Almond to cut the RPI lead to 2-1.
 
However, a four-run top of the second gave the Engineers some cushion. A pair of two-RBI base knocks from Catherine Worthington and Callista Adorno pushed the score to 6-1 RPI after two. Worthington collected a single up the middle with the bases loaded before Adorno brought home a pair with a double to the left center field wall.
 
All five of RPI's runs in the top of the third were via a walk or hit by pitch with the bases loaded, as the Engineers opened an 11-1 lead. But the Spartans added three runs in the bottom of the inning, as Almond and Samera Rideout highlighted the inning with RBI singles.
 
Adorno added an RBI single in the top of the fifth as the Engineers' pushed their lead to eight runs that helped secure the win in five innings of play.
 
Game 2
 
Alexis Cooke faced the minimum through 3.1 innings of work before surrendering a walk and hit in the top of the fourth inning. RPI continued their hot hitting, opening up a 5-0 lead into the bottom of the third.
 
Gabby Comeau singled home Askins to open the scoring in the first inning, while a Worthington RBI double scored two runs to highlight a three-run second inning. Sydney Speanburg drove home the lone run in the third inning, as a single to right field scored Evann McDowell to make the five-run lead.
 
In the bottom of the fifth, Castleton got on the board as a pair of RBI singles from Maddie Wilson and Alexis Rogers helped the Spartans cut the Engineers lead to 5-3.
 
But Worthington helped give RPI some extra cushion in the top of the sixth, earning a run back with an RBI single on a line drive to left field that scored Speanburg to push the score to 6-3.
 
The Spartans didn't go down without a fight, as they were able to put multiple runners on. After Rogers collected her second RBI single of the game to put the score at 6-4, the Spartans had two runners on with two out with the tying run coming to the plate. However, Brooke Sroczinski shut the door with a strikeout to end the game earning her first save of the season.
 
Speanburg led the afternoon for the Engineers with three hits – all coming in the second game. Worthington totaled six RBI's on the day, with three apiece in each game. Adorno had four total in game one.
 
For Castleton, Almond and Rogers led the way with two hits apiece on the day, while Rogers and Miranda Fish each drove in two runs apiece.
 
The Engineers return to action this Saturday, April 1 at 1 p.m. in a doubleheader against Sage in a makeup date from March 18.