The Keene State College baseball team finished its week of play at 2-2. Keene State went 1-1 in nonconference play and split their Little East Conference doubleheader against Rhode Island College on April 16 at home.
The Owls started the week with a nonconference loss on Wednesday, April 13, with a 10-2 loss to Fitchburg State University at the Owl Athletic Complex.
In that game, Keene State was outhit 11-6 and also committed four errors. KSC senior starting pitcher Kevin Guild only recorded one out in the ballgame and allowed four runs in the first inning to take the loss.
After four innings, the Owls were down 6-1 as they plated a run when first-year shortstop Mac Struthers drove in a run with a sacrifice fly. Sophomore Christian Bourgea drove in the second Keene State run in the bottom of the ninth inning to make it 10-2. Bourgea finished with two hits.
On April 14 the Owls hosted Springfield College and fell behind early 8-0 after the second inning. However, the Owls scored 12 unanswered runs to come back and get the victory.
Luke Stergiou / Senior Photographer
Keene State plated four runs in the third, one in the fourth and two in the fifth to pull within one run to make it 8-7. Struthers was able to tie the game up with an RBI single.
Keene State then waited until the eighth inning to plate the deciding run, putting up a five spot in the inning. Senior Billy Hartmann was able to single after the first two men reached base and Struthers, who, led off with a single, scored to tie the game at 8-8.
One batter later, junior Trevor Chapin drove in the deciding run as senior Joe Libby scored to make it 9-8.
The Owls bullpen was solid, just allowing one run over eight innings of work. Junior Jeff Lunn threw 3.1 shutout innings to pick up his first career win.
In conference play on April 16, the Owls beat Rhode Island College 2-1 in 11 innings in game one. Senior Cody Dube went eight strong innings and took a no decision. Dube allowed one run on five hits, walked none and struck out a career high 11.
Keene State fell behind early when Rhode Island College plated a run to make it 1-0 in the second inning. The game would remain that way until the sixth inning when Chapin drove in the tying run with a single to make it 1-1. Three solid scoreless innings from senior Eddie Dionne setup Chapin for a big hit once again.
With two outs in the bottom of the 11th, Chapin drove in Bourgea with an RBI single to give the Owls a walkoff 2-1 victory.
In game two, 5-3 loss, the Owls were able to jump out to an early lead 3-0 after the first inning. Sophomore Devin Springfield drove in the game’s first run with an RBI single to make it 1-0. One batter later, senior Vinny Parilla’s RBI groundout made it a 2-0 advantage. Then with two outs in the inning, sophomore Dan Sarah drove in the third run of the inning with an RBI single to make it 3-0 Owls.
In the top of the third inning, Rhode Island College was able to grab a run back to make it a 3-1 game with a sacrifice fly. However, the Anchormen were not done as the plated three runs in the top of the fourth. Ed Apice hit an RBI double to make it a 3-2 ballgame. Then one batter later, Tyler Rains hit a two run homer to give the Anchormen a 4-2 lead.
Owls’ starter Alan Schiff went 4.1 innings and took the loss he allowed four runs, two earned, six hits and walked two.
Senior Keith Simpson came on in relief and kept the Owls in the ballgame throwing 4.2 innings allowing one run, on three hits, walked one and struck out three.
As of April 17, the Owls are 11-13 overall and 2-4 in LEC play. The Owls played three consecutive games from April 18 to April 20, before two off-days. Next, Keene State is home on April 23, as they host Tufts University in a doubleheader. The first pitch of game one is scheduled for 1 p.m.
Brian Clemmenson can be contacted at bclemmenson@kscequinox.com
