NORTH ADAMS, MASS. 4/14/05 - The Keene State College softball bounced back from being swept by R.I. College on Saturday with a pair of shutout victories (6-0 and 9-0 over Mass College of Liberal Arts at North Adams, Mass., on Thursday.

Freshmen pitchers, Ashlee Nicholson (Swanzey, N.H.) tossed a complete game one-hitter with nine strikeouts in the opener while Brittany Littlefield (Saugerties, N.Y.) pitched a five inning two-hitter in the nightcap. Nicholson upped her record to 3-1 while Littlefield goes to 3-0.

Taking a 1-0 lead on a RBI single from Sarah Campbell (Auburn, Mass.) in the second inning, the Owls broke open the first game with a four-run fifth inning. The inning included RBI doubles from Kari Gardner (Grafton, Mass.) and Kathleen Gambino (Freeport, N.Y.). Melissa Scata (Medway, Mass.), Campbell, and Gardner had two hits each for KSC.

The Owls scored seven runs in the first three innings of the second game. Emily Crompton (Concord, N.H.) and Erin Fuoroli (Warwick, R.I.) had RBI hits in the first inning. KSC plated three more runs in the second on an error and infield out and added two more runs in the third on a fielder's choice and run-producing hit from Jessica Starkey (Keene, N.H.). Amanda Foote (Hudson, N.H.) and Julia May (Deep River, Conn.) had two hits each in the game.

Keene State (13-3) returns to action on Friday with a doubleheader against Lyndon State at Owl Athletic Complex (3 p.m.).