CLEARWATER,FLA. 3/22/05 - The Keene State College baseball team concluded its extended spring week trip with a nine inning 5-3 victory over Macalester (Minn.) College in Clearwater, Fla., on Tuesday morning.

The Owls, who completed their trip with an 8-5 record, took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning on a RBI double from Greg Ford (Nashua, N.H.).

The Scots tied the game in the bottom of seventh on a suicide squeeze play.

KSC went up 3-1 in the top of the eighth on a two out double by John Grainger (Keene, N.H.). After Macalester tied the game in the bottom of the inning, the Owls scored the go-ahead runs on a clutch two-run double by Matt Orszulak (Campton, N.H.) with two out.

Sophomore Mike Cook (Dover, Mass.) (1-0) went seven innings with six strikeouts and one walk to notch his first win of the season. After Jim Slack (Manchester, N.H.) gave up two runs in his one and two-third innings, Ford, who came in with two on and two out in the ninth, closed the door to pick up his fourth save of the season.

Mike Masseur (Warwick, R.I.), Jeremy Schilling (Centerville, Mass.), and Grainger finished the game with two hits each.

"I was very pleased with the trip," said KSC Coach Ken Howe. "Three out of our five losses were by one run." "We're looking forward to getting home and getting started on our northern schedule."

Unfortunately, the Owls might be waiting awhile to get back on the field. With Thursday's home opener against New England College cancelled due to unplayable field conditions, KSC hopes to play Wednesday, March 30 at Springfield College.