KEENE, N.H. 4/26/05 - Meghan McLoughlin (Brattleboro, Vt.)
tossed her second career no-hitter and Jenn Norman (Penacook, N.H.)
clouted a pair of two-run home runs to lead Keene State College to
a sweep over UMass-Boston (8-0, 10-1) in a Little East Conference
softball doubleheader played Tuesday at Owl Athletic Complex. Both
were five-inning games.
McLoughlin, who had her first no-hitter against Southern Main as
a sophomore and a perfect game against Eastern Conn. last season,
fanned 10 and walked two over five innings to improve her record to
8-3.
The Owls broke the first game open with an eight-run second
inning. Amanda Foote (Hudson, N.H.) started if off with a three-run
home run, Norman followed with a two-run blast, and Kathleen
Gambino (Freeport, N.Y.) completed the uprising with a
bases-clearing triple. It was the first round-tripper of the season
for both Foote and Norman.
The Owls didn't waste anytime getting on the board in the second
game. Norman hit her second two-run home run of the day in the
first to stake KSC to a 2-0 lead. In the second, Julie McLaurin
(Amherst, N.H.) tripled and came home on a fielder's choice.
The Beacons scored in the top of the fourth on a RBI single from
Andrea Ciarlette (Watertown, Mass.).
KSC got the run back in the bottom of the inning when Julia May
(Deep River, Conn.) tripled and came home on a sacrifice fly from
Kristen Braley (Derry, N.H.). May, Braley, and Nicholson had RBI
doubles and Melissa Scata (Medway, Mass.) ended the game with a
two-run home run as KSC plated six runs in the fifth. It was
Scata's team-leading sixth home run of the season. Ashlee Nicholson
(Swanzey, N.H.), coming off a perfect game against UMass-Dartmouth
on Saturday, gave up an unearned run, struck out seven and didn't
issue a walk to go to 7-2.
Katherine Wall (Arlington, Mass.) took the loss in both games
for UMB (5-21, 0-10 LEC), which is coached by former Owl soccer
standout Amy Zombeck.
Keene State (24-6, 8-4 LEC) has won all 13 meetings between the
two teams.
The Owls host Fitchburg State in a non-conference twinbill on
Thursday (3 p.m.).
