'WHITTIER, CA.  3/17/03 – Keene State's baseball team is still looking for its first spring trip victory after dropping a twin bill to Whittier College on Monday.  The Owls lost their first game 14-1 and came up short 14-5 in the nightcap.

Keene State (0-4) took a 1-0 lead in the opener on a first inning home run by John Trubiano (Keene, N.H.).  Whittier came back with 14 unanswered runs.

KSC had four hits in the game with Mike MAeur (Warwick, R.I.) going two-for-three at the plate.

Making his first collegiate start, freshman Ryan Kohler (Alstead, N.H.) took the loss for the Owls. He gave up six runs and five hits in four and a third innings with five strikeouts and five walks.

Using a new line-up, the Owls were able to put four runs on the board in the second game.  All their runs came in the second inning.  Justin Hickman (Mont Vernon, N.H.) hit his first round-tripper of the spring, Justin Cox (E. Swanzey, N.H.) had a double and Bobby Reilly (Cortlandt Manor, N.Y.) delivered a two-run triple.

Freshman Corey Bell (Swanzey, N.H.) struggled on the mound giving up seven runs on eight hits with four strikeouts and two walls in his three and a third innings of work. 

"We're playing some quality teams, but we're just not swinging the bats," said KSC coach Ken Howe.

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