MESA, AZ. 3/12/07 - The Keene State College baseball team took advantage of big innings at the plate and strong pitching performances from a pair of freshmen to sweep Roger Williams University  6-1 and 9-2  in a doubleheader played Monday at Gene Autry Stadium in Mesa, Az.

In the first game, KSC jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the first inning on an RBI double by John Grainger (Keene, N.H.) and a run-producing single from Anthony Cipolla (Nashua, N.H.), who had two hits in the game. The Owls added two more runs in the fourth.  Ryan Jones (Nashua, N.H.) had a two out RBI triple.  He later came home on a wild pitch.

Freshman Ben Sonberg (Bow, N.H.) pitched six innings of five-hit ball to pick up his first college win.  He gave up one unearned run, struck out five and didn't allow a walk.

KSC came up with a couple of big innings in the second game.  Freshman first baseman Beau Darak (Londonderry, N.H.) had a two run double in a four-run fifth inning.  A second two-run double by Darak and an RBI single by Buck Merrill (Colchester, Conn.) highlighted a three-run seventh.

Joe Rousseau (Nashua, N.H.), James Chevalier (Amherst, N.H.), and Darak finished the game with three hits each.

Freshman Mike Riley (East Hartford, Conn.) tossed a three-hitter over six innings to notch his first college win.  The right-hander fanned six and didn't issue a walk.

"Everything came together for us today," said KSC Coach Ken Howe.  "You never know how freshmen are going to react when they get the ball for the first time, but both Sonberg and Riley showed why we have high hopes for both of them during the season."

After an of-day on Tuesday, the Owls (4-2) will return to action with games against Webster (Ill.) College and Simpson (IA) College on Wednesday.