'KEENE, N.H. 3/14/02 - After playing at the same location the past few years, Keene State College baseball and softball teams will be headed in different directions when they leave Saturday for their annual spring week trip in Florida.

 The Owl baseball team will play eight games at Cocoa Beach Expo while the softball team returns to Ft. Myers, where they will play an 11 game schedule.

 Sunday's game against Oneonta (N.Y.) State won't be the first taste of live action for the KSC baseball team.  The Owls played three games last weekend at the Cape Cod Classic in Northeastham, MA., coming away with three wins.

 "I think its going to help us quite a bit, said KSC Coach Ken Howe, about the early season games.  " In the past, we were lucky to just get outside. Having a few games is a bonus, especially when you consider we have a young team."

 Although it was early, Howe was pleased with what he saw.  Led by Keene native John Trubiano, who hit a team-leading .600 average, the Owls batted .381 in the three games while receiving good defense and solid pitching.

 The Owls will play a very competitive schedule in Florida that includes two NAIA Div. I teams (Pike College of Kentucky and Olivet Nazarene (Ill) University) and UMA-Lowell, which went to the Division II World Series last year.  "I think the trip will be a good measuring stick for us," Howe said.

 The Keene State softball team heads south with some questions that need to be answered.  With several players moving to new positions this season, Coach Charlie Beach, must get his line up in order as well as set his pitching staff.

 Among his pre-trip plans, Beach has Shauna Mullen (Hooksett, NH) going to shortstop, Abby Collis moving across the diamond to first and former infielders Adria Reynolds (Portsmouth, NH) and Nicole Foote (Hudson, NH) heading to the outfield.

 As far as his pitching staff is concerned, Beach has five very good hurlers, and will have to decide on a rotation.

 Seven of the 11 teams KSC will face in Florida went to a post-season tournament last spring.  The Owl's schedule also includes five games against teams in their region. "It's going to be very important that we beat those teams," said Beach, referring to Suffolk, Pine Manor, St. Lawrence, Smith College and Cazenovia (NY) State.  "When it comes to post-season play, the first thing they look at is regional competition outside your conference."

 Despite the uncertainty in his line up and the Owl's tough schedule, Beach still has high expectations for his team.  "I plan on coming back with a 11-0 record," he said.

Owl men's and women's lacrosse team will also be in Florida next week.  It is the first time both teams have made a spring trip.  The men, who opened their season with a 17-4 loss to Eastern CT, on Saturday, will play a scrimmage game at against Amherst College. The women's team, under first-year coach Emily Johnson, will play scrimmages against Vassar College and East Stroudsburg University and then face Hamilton College in its first game of the season on Friday.

The Owls have all but one starter back from last year's team which posted a program-best 9-6 mark.