FARMINGTON – The University of Maine at Farmington (16-16, 9-13) pitching staff held the Castleton State College (28-9, 20-4) offense to only seven hits in Sunday afternoon’s North Atlantic Conference doubleheader, but the Spartans came away with a duo of one-run victories. CSC claimed game one, 2-1, in a pitcher’s duel and held off UMF in game two, 7-6.
In the first game, Castleton produced a two-out rally with an RBI single and then an RBI double in the first inning to grab a, 2-0, edge. Tom Grady (Whitefield, Maine) smacked a double into right center field in the bottom of the frame and drove home Sean Cabaniss (Vassalboro, Maine).
UMF freshman Riley Chickering (Otisfield, Maine) threw his best outing of his rookie campaign with a complete game. Chickering fanned four Spartans and surrendered only three hits, including two in the first inning. In three of his seven innings on the hill, Chickering shut the Spartans down in short order. The Beavers had to battle back from a, 5-0, deficit in the nightcap in order to put pressure on the Spartans.
After a bases loaded walk, Taylor Vile (Syracuse, N.Y.) launched a grand slam to dead center field in the third inning. UMF answered back with two runs in the bottom of the inning. Dustin McCrossin (Yarmouth, Maine) doubled home two runs after his extra-base hit for the gap in right center field.
UMF stayed on the comeback trail when Nick Attaliades-Ryan (Otisfield, Maine) trimmed the lead to one run with a two-run shot over the right field wall. Trevor Hisler (Skowhegan, Maine) hit an RBI double to center field later in the inning for the tying score.
Castleton capitalized on two errors by Farmington in the top of the seventh inning to plate two runners. UMF rallied with a run of its own thanks to a sacrifice fly by Grady but could not manufacture a two-out rally.
Farmington wraps conference play on Monday with a doubleheader at Colby-Sawyer.
