CASTLETON, Vt. – The Plattsburgh State softball traveled to Vermont State University (VTSU) Castleton on Wednesday afternoon, winning game one 7-2, before falling 15-6 in six innings in game two. The Cards won behind a fantastic start from Morgan Ormerod (Valatie, N.Y./Ichabod Crane) and Dimitra Mouhteros (Washingtonville, N.Y./Washingtonville) who homered in each game.

Mouhteros finished the day 2-4 with two homers, three RBI, three runs scored, a walk, and a sacrifice fly, leading the Cardinal offense with her first two homers in her collegiate career.  Ormerod threw a complete game in the win, going all seven innings, scattering six hits, and striking out six batters. Sara Isaacs (Malta, N.Y./Shenendehowa) finished the day with four hits, driving in three runs and scoring twice, while Gwen Noll (Massapequa, N.Y./St. Anthony's) reached base three times on the day and scored two runs.

Plattsburgh State moves to 7-15 on the season and will host Oneonta in their next games, playing the Red Dragons on Friday, April 19 beginning at 3 p.m. at Cardinal Park. VTSU-Castleton moves to 10-11 on the year and will travel to Keen State on Friday, April 19 to play the Owls in league action.

Game One: Plattsburgh 7, VTSU-Castleton 2

The Cardinals utilized Ormerod's strong outing and timely hitting in the game-one win, also taking advantage of three Spartan errors to win 7-2 in road action. Mouhteros belted her first career homer in the third inning, giving Plattsburgh a lead they would not relinquish.

Mouhteros was 1-1 with two RBI in game one, as she also walked and drove in a run with a sacrifice fly. Isaacs finished 3-4 with 2 RBI, a 2B, and a run scored in game one, while Claire Palmer (Suffern, N.Y./Suffern) added a base hit and walk to score twice.

Julia Golino (Mount Sinai, N.Y./Mount Sinai) got the Cardinals on the board in the first, driving a sacrifice fly to left to score Palmer and give her team an early 1-0 lead.

An Alexis Rogers homer in the second tied the game for Castleton, but Mouhteros responded in the third with her solo shot to left, putting the Cards up 2-1.

As Ormerod settled in, the Cardinals added to their lead, with Mouhteros' sacrifice fly bringing home a run. Another run came around to score with two outs in the inning, as Isaacs singled with the bases loaded, putting Plattsburgh up 4-1.

In the sixth inning, the Spartans were able to get a run off of Ormerod with a two-out single, but the sophomore hurler induced a fly out to end the Castleton threat.

Up just two runs in their final at-bat, the Cardinals added three huge insurance runs, with an Isaacs double scoring a run and an error in center bringing home two runs to put Plattsburgh State ahead 7-2.

In the bottom of the frame, Ormerod quickly retired the first two batters, but allowed a single and then walk to put two runs on. Working against the second batter in the Spartan order, Ormerod was able to strike out Brianna Belisle, ending the game and giving Plattsburgh the win.

Katie Gallagher took the loss in the circle for Castleton while Taylor Russell had two hits, including a double for the losing side.

Game Two: VTSU-Castleton 15, Plattsburgh 6 (6 innings)

Despite leading 6-2 heading into the bottom of the fifth inning, Plattsburgh fell 15-6 to the Spartans in game two, as Castleton scored eight runs in the fifth and five in the sixth for the run-rule win.

Mouhteros collected her second homer of the day, finishing 1-3 with two runs scored. Noll had two hits and two runs scored, while Dolly Garguilo (Monroe, N.Y./Washingtonville) had a base hit and two RBI. Carly Gemmett (Colonie, N.Y./Colonie Central) took the loss in the circle, pitching 4.1 innings while Sarah Milyko (Goshen, N.Y./Chester Academy) pitched the final 1.1 innings.

Mouhteros opened the scoring in the third, homering to left for the second time to put the Cardinals up 1-0. Castleton immediately responded, putting up two runs in the bottom of the third, taking the lead after three innings of play.

In the fourth, the Cards put together a four-run rally powered by five hits. Noll began the inning with an infield hit and came around to score on an Isaacs double, tying the game at two runs. Michelle DeFina (Commack, N.Y./Commack) followed with a single through the left side to score Isaacs two batters. After another single, a fielder's choice, and a walk, Garguilo laced a single to left, scoring two runners and putting the Cards up 5-2. The team added to their lead in the fifth, as Noll scored a run as Golino was caught stealing.

However, in the sixth, the Spartan offense exploded for eight runs on eight hits, taking a 10-6 lead. In the sixth, they added five more runs on four hits, with Belisle hitting a three-run homer to right to invoke the run rule and give Castleton the win.

Madison Gould earned the win in relief, tossing two innings, while Belisle homered and tripled to drive in three runs. Allie Almond was 3-5 with two RBI and two runs scored and Rogers was 3-4 with two RBI and two runs scored.