In a Little East Conference (LEC) matchup, Keene State baseball fell to the University of Massachusetts (UMass) Boston on April 15.
The doubleheader was sponsored by Morgan’s Message, an organization focused on eliminating stigma around mental health for student-athletes.
Game one of the doubleheader saw the Owls fall 7-5. First-year pitcher David Floyd started the game, giving up two runs on two hits and three walks in 3.2 innings pitched. Keene State took the lead in the first inning after a threerun home run by first-year third baseman Jonathan Chatfield, his sixth of the season. The Beacons got a run back in the top of the third inning to cut the deficit to 3-2. The Owls responded in the bottom half of the same inning after an RBI single from senior captain and first baseman Josh Beayon.
Keene State entered the top of the seventh with a 4-2 lead before the wheels fell off. The Beacons started the top half of the inning with a lead off home run to get within one. Four hits and a hit by pitch allowed UMass Boston to regain the lead and go into the seventh inning stretch up 7-4. The Owls were able to get one back after an RBI single by junior outfielder Nathaniel Hudson, but it was too little, too late. Keene State eventually dropped game one of the doubleheader by a final score of 7-5.
The Owls suffered a similar fate in game two, as the Beacons won 15-9. The first two innings were all Owls. Fifth-year captain and outfielder Brandon Eaton opened the scoring with a two-out RBI single, which also scored another run after a throwing error.
Keene State stayed on the attack in the bottom of the second inning. Several of the team’s first-year players helped give the Owls a 5-0 lead, including a solo home run by infielder Alec Varano, RBI single by infielder Evan McCue and RBI double by Chatfield.
UMass Boston’s bats woke up in the top half of the third. The Beacons scored six on four hits, which also featured two home runs to take a 6-5 lead.
The Owls were able to regain their lead in the back-and-forth battle. Varano tacked on another RBI single to tie it, then first-year outfielder Tommy Ahlers added another run with an RBI walk. McCue added another RBI in the bottom of the seventh to give the Owls an 8-6 lead.
The Beacons entered the top of the ninth down 9-7, but soon snatched the lead from the Owls. Eight runs on eight hits were able to give UMass Boston a 15-9 lead that would eventually be the final score of the game.
The losses drop Keene State below .500 and bring their record to 13-15.
The Owls will be on the road for a doubleheader against Western Connecticut State University in a conference matchup on April 22.
Cal Thompson can be contacted at
cthompson@kscequinox.com
