On Saturday, April 11, Western Connecticut State University (WestConn) Softball hosted Keene State College, with the two teams splitting the doubleheader. Game one ended with Keene State winning by one run, while game two saw WestConn pull off a close victory by the same margin.
In the first game, Keene State came out hot, scoring four runs in the first inning on a triple by senior second baseman/utility Kallie Halvorsen and a double by sophomore catcher/utility Abby Weiterman. Two WestConn errors allowed two unearned runs and the Owls built on their lead, extending it 8-3.
However, that was not the end for WestConn. In the bottom of the sixth inning, the Wolves scored six runs and turned a five-run loss into a one-run game with a score of 9-8. Junior second baseman Kendall Allen contributed to the offense by hitting a two-run double, while sophomore outfielder Juila Valukis contributed with a three-run double. With this, it seemed that Keene State’s lead almost disappeared.
In response, the Owls scored in the eighth inning. The team was able to add two runs through a two-run double from junior catcher/shortstop Elyse Picard, while a passed ball added another run to make it 10-9. Finally, sophomore pitcher/outfielder Olivia Souers entered the game and retired WestConn in the seventh inning. She was able to record a strikeout and a pop fly from the batter while the baserunner was left stranded at second base.
For WestConn, Allen had an outstanding performance, going three for five and driving in five runs despite the loss. The Owls’ winning pitcher, junior Megan Strzegowski, pitched in relief for three innings, giving up six runs and four walks but no earned runs in the victory.
The next game presented a completely different scenario altogether. The Wolves’ starting pitcher, senior Olivia Bordenaro, played effectively in the first inning, helping WestConn build a 5-0 lead after three innings as the Owls’ offense struggled to find its way around her pitches.
Keene State started making its way back when Weiterman hit an RBI single, allowing Picard to score a run in the fifth inning. Another run came in with a sacrifice fly ball by first-year outfielder Jayme Kiley and the Owls trailed by 5-2 at the beginning of the sixth inning. The Wolves increased their lead again when they scored two runs in the sixth to go up 7-3. However, Keene State scored three times in the seventh to make it a one-run game, but it wasn’t enough.
Keene State could not finish off the comeback attempt, and Bordenaro pitched all seven innings, striking out seven batters to secure the 7-6 victory for WestConn.
Weiterman was the top individual performer across both games, going four for eight, including two RBIs. First-year pitcher/utility Marina Gronbach also had three hits in game two. For West Conn, Allen was once again effective with a three-for-four day that included three RBIs in both games. With the split, Keene State moves to a 10-8 record, and the Wolves are now 10-14.
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