GORHAM, Maine - Senior pitcher Meghan McLoughlin (Brattleboro, Vt./Brattleboro) fired a three-hitter over nine innings and freshman pitcher Ashlee Nicholson (Swanzey, N.H./Monadnock)pitched a two-hit shutout to lead the Keene State College Owls to a Little East Conference doubleheader sweep of the University of Southern Maine Huskies Saturday afternoon in Gorham. Keene State edged the Huskies 4-1 in the opener, and earned the sweep with an 11-0 win in the nightcap.

With the twinbill sweep, Keene State improves to 10-4 in the Little East and 28-6 overall. The Huskies fall to 5-7 in conference play and 19-16-1 overall.

In the first game McLoughlin scattered three hits over nine innings with 13 strikeouts and just three walks to lead the Owls past the Huskies. Southern Maine senior pitcher Melissa Henderson(Newburyport, Mass./Newburyport) took the loss giving up four runs on 12 hits while fanning eight. Henderson gave up just one run over eight innings before yielding three in the top of the ninth as the Keene State bats came alive.

With the score tied 1-1 in the ninth, freshman designated hitter Liz Mroczka (Rocky Hill, Conn./Rocky Hill) started the Owl rally with a lead-off single. She took second on a perfectly placed sacrifice bunt from junior shortstop Mandy Foote (Hudson,N.H./Alvirne). With Mroczka in scoring position, junior second baseman Sarah Campbell (Auburn, Mass./Auburn) cranked out a double to plate the eventual game-winning run. Keene State added two more runs in the inning when freshman catcher Melissa Scata (Medway, Mass./Medway) scored Campbell on a RBI fielder's choice. Freshman outfielder Kaity Conklin (Selkirk, N.Y./Bethlehem) drove in the Owls'third run of the inning when she doubled in Nicholson for the 4-1 final.

In the second game, the Owls scored three runs in the opening inning and plated seven in the fourth to earn an 11-0 shutout win. The game was called after five innings due to the eight-run rule.

Nicholson earned the win for the Owls striking out six batters over five innings to improve to 5-2 this season. The Owls jumped ahead 3-0 early in the game as USM starting pitcher Katie Mainville (Coopers Mills, Maine/Erskine Academy) struggled early giving up five consecutive walks to start the game.

The Owls took a 4-0 lead in the third inning when Mroczka doubled in freshman outfielder Julia May (Concord, N.H./Concord) for one of her two RBI for the game. KSC plated seven more runs in the fourth inning to invoke the eight-run rule. Scata connected for two of her three RBI in the fourth inning when she belted two-run single to score Nicholson and senior third baseman Jenn Norman (Penacook,N.H./Penacook).

Southern Maine returns to action tomorrow (Sunday, May 1) at 1:00 p.m. on the road against Little East Conference opponent Eastern Connecticut State University for a doubleheader. Keene State plays again Tuesday (May 3) at non-conference foe Springfield College with a 3:30 p.m. start.