'FORT MYERS, FLA. 3/13/07 - Keene State pitchers Ashlee Nicholson (Swanzey, N.H.) and Erin Fuoroli (Warwick, R.I.) did the job on the mound and Owls hitters came though with some timely base hits in a pair of shutout wins over top Division III teams at Fort Myers, Florida on Tuesday.

Nicholson pitched a complete game one hitter in KSC's 3-0 win over Montclair (N.J.) State and Fuoroli, with a little relief help from Nicholson, kept Wheaton (Mass.) College off the board in a 2-0 second game victory. 

"I'm really pleased," said KSC Coach Charlie Beach.  "To be 5-1 at this point against some tough competition is a tremendous confidence booster for this team."

The Owls struck early in the first game against Montclair, plating a run in the first inning on an RBI single up the middle by Katie Allenson (Clifton Park, N.Y.).  Added two more runs in the second.  Nicholson led off with a single and went to second when Allie D'Amato (Bristol, Conn.) was hit by a pitch.  Jenna Patnode (Swanzey, N.H.) brought both runs home with a triple.

Nicholson, who gave up a first inning single, accidentally pitched from the men's 5-foot rubber.   Moving back to the normal 43-foot rubber in the second inning, she fanned five and walked one to improve her spring week record to 2-0.

Fuoroli scattered four hits, struck out one and didn't walk a batter in her six and a third innings of work on the mound against Wheaton.  Nicholson got the final two outs to pick up the save.

Colleen Ferguson (Sussex, N.J.) knocked in both runs for the Owls.  The junior outfielder from Sussex, N.J., had an RBI single in the third and a run-producing double down the left field line in the fifth inning.

Following an off-day on Wednesday, KSC gets back to work with games against Wisconsin-Superior and Framingham State on Thursday.