CASTLETON, VT. (April 16, 2024) – The Beacons' softball team tallies their 19^th and 20^th victories of the season following 1-0, and 6-0 victories in a Little East Conference doubleheader from Castleton Vermont, against the Spartans of Vermont State University Castleton. Cherry and Melchionda combine to allow just three hits on the afternoon for some of the Beacons' best pitching, and defensive performances of the season.
Game One
The Beacons tally five hits and score one fatal run as senior Bri Melchionda secures her ninth win of the season on the mound for the Beacons, as she held the Spartans to just one hit in seven innings on the mound.

Melchionda struck out four and walked three, backed by the Beacons' defense, the Spartans could only make contact once in game one. The Beacons' bats swung for five hits in game one, with two coming from first-year Hayley Krockta, as she drove in senior Hayley Tilberry for the game-winning run in game one.

Krockta's game-winning drive came in the top of the sixth inning and was driven to deep center field, deep enough to bring home Tilberry from second.

Tilberry's run was the only one necessary to put down the Spartans in game one, as the opening battle was a dual of the defensive sides between the two LEC forces.

Game Two
The Beacons settled into an offensive groove and swung for 12 hits in game two for a 6-0 victory against the Spartans to complete the LEC sweep and improve to 20-6 on the year.

Graduate pitcher Jacqueline Cherry pitched all seven innings, and faced 19 batters while striking out five, walking two, and allowing zero runs on just two hits. With the win, Cherry improves to 8-1 on the year on the mound. Melchionda, along with senior Kaitlyn Sawyer and sophomore Sofie Richland combined for nine of the Beacons' 12 hits on the night. Sophomore Lauren Miner drove in four of the Beacons' six runs, serving as a pivotal piece in the Beacs' offense in game two.

Sawyer opened up scoring in the second inning with an RBI single to the left side that would drive in Krockta for an unearned run. Miner followed suit in the third inning with a bases-clearing three-run RBI double down the right-field line. Miner would drive in the sixth and final run of the Beacons' doubleheader in the sixth inning, as she would knock down a double to left field that would bring home Melchionda.

The Beacons tally their 20^th win of the season and improve to 6-2 in LEC play, with their next contest scheduled for Saturday, April 20^th against the Corsairs of UMass Dartmouth.