The Keene State College softball team finished off its week with a statement, sweeping Eastern Connecticut State University on the road on Saturday, April 16.
The Owls swept the Warriors, a preseason favorite, behind two complete games thrown by senior Mariah Crisp. Keene State won game one 4-0 and won game two, a one run game, 3-2.
Game 1:
Keene State set the tone early in game one as senior Heather Pelletier drove in two runs with a two run single in the top of the first inning. Senior Stephanie Long, who singled to get it started, scored along with junior Kayla Votto, who reached on an error to make it 2-0 on Pelletier’s hit.
The Owls then added some insurance in the third inning when senior Morgan Fallon hit a two run home run to put KSC up 4-0.
Keene State out-hit the Warriors 11-3 and the Warriors did not get their first hit until the fourth inning when Danielle Robillard singled. After that, Crisp allowed just two more hits.
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Crisp’s final line in game one would be seven innings pitched, no runs on three hits and she walked one and struck out six.
Keene State’s offense was paced by Long, Pelletier, Fallon and first-year Kristin Boduch, who all contributed with two hits each.
Game 2:
The second game featured far fewer hits by the Owls as they finished with four hits and were out hit six to four. Keene State, however, took advantage of Eastern Connecticut’s sloppy defense as the Warriors committed two errors.
Long, once again, got it started for the Owls as she singled and later came around to score on an error in the top of the first to make it 1-0.
The Warriors offense struggled to get anything, despite getting one hit a piece in the first, second and third innings. Each time, the runners were left stranded.
That set the stage for Keene State to grab another single run in the fourth. Once again, the Owls got the leadoff hitter on base as Fallon led off with a double. Sophomore Shae Crosby drove Fallon in to make it 2-0 with two outs.
After holding the Warriors off the scoreboard in the bottom of the fourth, the Owls then struck for a single run in the fifth inning that proved to be the difference. In the top of the fifth, sophomore Brittany DaMota came around to score on a wild pitch to make it 3-0.
In the bottom of the sixth inning with the Owls up 3-0, the Warriors finally got something going. They got their first runner into scoring position in the nightcap. Emily Komornik was able to reach on a Keene State error and then Samantha Rentz hit a two-run homer to make it a one run ballgame at 3-2.
In the bottom of the seventh, Crisp issued a leadoff walk, but was able to work around that as Eastern Connecticut left the tying run in scoring position after a sacrifice bunt.
Crisp finished game two allowing two runs, one earned run, walking one and recorded four strikeouts.
Long paced the offense with two hits, while Fallon only base hit was a double and Crosby’s single was only RBI in the game for Keene State.
Keene State finished the week with a 3-1 mark overall as they split with Westfield State on April 14, on the road. As of April 18, the Owls are 11-11 overall and 5-1 and tied for first in the Little East Conference.
Brian Clemmenson can be contacted at bclemmenson@kscequinox.com
