CASTLETON, Vermont — Kayla Wood pitched a five-hitter and struck out 11 to lead the top-seeded Castleton University Spartans to the North Atlantic Conference softball title with a 3-1 victory over the Thomas College Terriers Saturday.
Wood (9-2) allowed only an unearned run and walked one for Castleton (20-11), which earns the league’s automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Softball Championship.
Jessica Babcock (RBI) and Ruby Bushey paced the Spartans with two singles each and Krista Carcaterra posted a pinch-hit, RBI single.
Katie Taylor poked a run-scoring single to account for the only run for No. 2 Thomas of Waterville (18-19). Faith Robinson (2-9) suffered the loss in the circle, allowing 10 hits and three runs (two earned). She walked two.
Thomas 6, Husson 1
At Castleton, Vermont, Sonja Morse and Haley Littlefield combined to allow only five hits as the Terriers advanced to the North Atlantic Conference title game on Saturday.
Morse (16-7) gave up four hits and a single run with six strikeouts and five walks through 5⅓ innings, then Littlefield closed it out with 1⅔ innings of one-hit shutout ball.
Courtney Veilleux drove in four runs with a two-run home run and a two-run single to propel Thomas. Korrie Laren (RBI) and Madison Bentz each hit a double and a single and Lexi Colpack singled twice.
Laren and Morse each stroked an RBI double among 11 hits for the Terriers.
Lyndsay Merrill, Allison Hill, Sami Cyr, Nicole Andrade and Olivia Smith hit singles for Husson University of Bangor, which finished at 15-25. Alannah Healy (11-16) surrendered 11 hits and six runs (5 earned) with four strikeouts and no walks.
Track and Field
UMaine athletes win events
At Burlington, Vermont, seniors Jaclyn Masters and Robyn McFetters of the University of Maine won individual events during the first day of the America East Outdoor Track and Field Championships.
Masters, of Auburn, claimed first place in the pole vault by clearing the bar at 13 feet, 1½ inches. It was her first conference title.
McFetters, of Barrington, Rhode Island, took home her fourth consecutive America East championship in the hammer with a heave of 181 feet, 2 inches.
UMaine had three other scorers in the event, including Emily Boardman (third, 168-3), Rachel Bergeron (sixth, 162-9) and Ashley Donohoe (eighth, 159-8).
On the men’s side, Thomas Murray placed third in the hammer throw (166-8), Simon Powhida was fifth in the 3,000-meter steeplechase (9:32.39) and Tyler Martin took sixth in the high jump (6-7½).