After a long layover, the Keene State College baseball team got back on the diamond and fell in three of its four Little East Conference games this past weekend.
East Conn Doubleheader:
The Owls traveled to Eastern Connecticut State University on Saturday, April 9, and were swept by the Warriors. Keene State fell in the first game with a score of 3-2 behind a strong starting pitching performance from senior Cody Dube.
Dube was unhittable to start the game, striking out seven of the first nine hitters he faced. Dube allowed his first hit in the bottom of the fifth.
The Owls were able to take an early 2-0 lead in game one on senior Vinny Parilla’s opposite-field two-run single in the top of the first. After that, the Owls’ offense went silent for the rest of the ballgame.
Colton McRacken / Equinox Staff
The Warriors tied the game up in the bottom of the fifth inning after Ryan Hood drove in a run with an RBI single and plated another run on a passed ball. The score would remain tied at 2-2 until the eighth inning.
D.J. Scavone had the game winning hit in the eighth inning with an RBI single to make it 3-2.
Keene State fell in game two by a score of 8-2. Once again KSC got the early lead scoring single runs in the third and fourth innings. The big blow in game two came off the bat of Alex Zachary of Eastern Connecticut as he hit a grand slam in the fourth inning to put the Warriors up 4-2 for good.
Junior Michael Crimi started for the Owls and allowed six runs over four innings of work and took the loss.
West Conn Doubleheader:
KSC returned home to Owl Athletic Complex on Sunday, April 10, to take on Western Connecticut State University. The Colonials batted as the home team in both games, as their field in Danbury, Connecticut was not playable.
The Owls took game one by a score of 7-3 behind a strong start from junior Alan Schiff. Schiff’s start helped the Owls snap a nine-game losing streak in conference play going back to last season.
Schiff threw seven innings and allowed three runs, striking out six. The Owls fell behind in the first inning 1-0. However, the responded with single runs in the third and fourth innings as sophomore Christian Bourgea hit an RBI double to tie the game up in the third. In the fourth, junior Dan Quinn hit a sacrifice fly to make it a 2-1 game.
Keene State then plated three runs in the top of the fifth inning when first-year player Devin Springfield drove in a run via a bases loaded walk. One batter later, first-year player Connor Longley hit a two run single to make it 5-1 Owls advantage.
The Colonials then plated two runs in the sixth inning to make it 5-3 on a two-run home run off the bat of Chris Callahan. Keene State then plated single runs in the seventh and ninth innings.
KSC got solid work from the bullpen as sophomore Nick Nowak pitched a scoreless eighth inning and senior Eddie Dionne threw a scoreless ninth inning.
In game two the bats for both teams came alive as Keene State fell 14-8. Both teams combined for 32 hits in the game and the Owls used seven pitchers.
After five innings of play Keene State was down 7-2. However, the Owls bats came to life to with a six-run sixth inning sending 11 men to the plate to take an 8-7 lead. In the inning senior Joe Libby drove in two runs. Also first-year player Mac Struthers drove in one run, as did Connor Longley. Junior Trevor Chapin joined the RBI parade as well.
The Colonials responded right back in the bottom of the sixth, scoring three runs and then adding four more in the seventh inning to win the nightcap 14-8.
The losing pitcher for the Owls was junior Nate Pederson, as he allowed three runs in 1.1 innings of relief.
Keene State 1-3 in LEC play will return to conference play this weekend against Rhode Island College at home on Saturday, April 16. First pitch for game one of the twin bill is scheduled for 12 p.m.
Brian Clemmenson can be contacted at bclemmenson@kscequinox.com
