'FORT MYERS, FLA. 3/12/07 - The Keene State College softball team split a pair of games in Fort Myers, Florida on Monday.  The Owls couldn't muster a timely hit in a tough 3-2 loss to Ohio Wesleyan. However, KSC bats woke up in the second game, an 11-2 (five innings) victory over St. Joseph's College of Maine.

The Owls took a 2-1 lead against Ohio Wesleyan in the bottom of the fourth inning on a run producing single from Kaity Conklin (Selkirk, N.Y.) and a RBI triple from Kari Gardner (Grafton, Mass.).

The Bishops came back with two runs in the top of the fifth and held on for the win.  Keene State, which had six hits in the game, put two runners on base in the sixth, but couldn't push a run across the plate. 

Erin Fuoroli (Warwick, R.I.) took the loss for the Owls. She gave up three runs on five hits with three strikeouts and one walk.  Ashlee Nicholson came in to pitch the final three innings giving up four hits and fanning five.

The Owls scored in every innings in their five-inning win over St. Joseph's College.  Jenna Patnode (Swanzey, N.H.) went two-for-three with two RBIs and three runs scored.  Gardner had her second triple of the day and a couple of RBIs and Julie May (Deep River, Conn.) contributed an RBI double.

Gardner pitched four innings to pick up the win on the mound.  She gave up both runs on four hits.  The senior pitcher struck out four and walked one batter.  Freshman Lauren Parece (Londonderry, N.H.) finished up with her first inning of the season.

Keene State (3-1) faces a pair a tough Division III foes, Montclair (N.J.) State and Wheaton (Mass.) College on Tuesday.