SPRINGFIELD, Mass., March 28, 2007 - Springfield College
freshman Joey Kropa (Cranford, N.J.) hit a two-out RBI single to
left field in the bottom half of the eighth inning to break a
one-all tie as the Pride edged non-conference foe Keene State
College, 2-1, this afternoon in baseball action at Berry-Allen
Field.
SC junior lefty Joe Carlos (Wilbraham, Mass.) started on the mound
for the Pride, allowing just one hit in six complete innings of
work to go along with three strikeouts. Senior right-hander Derek
Hodder (Hamden, Conn.) then came on in relief for the Pride,
allowing just one hit and one unearned run in three innings of work
for his first victory of the season (1-1). SC improves to 2-8
overall on the season with the win, as the Owls of Keene State fall
to 9-6.
Keene State junior Phil Mabey (Williamstown, Mass.) pitched an
outstanding game for the Owls despite being tagged with the loss.
The righty tossed seven and two-thirds innings, giving up just one
hit and two unearned runs to fall to 0-1 on the season. Mabey
fanned nine Pride batters and did not allow a hit until the bottom
of the eighth.
SC opened the scoring with a run in the bottom half of the third
inning off a wild pitch, plating junior Ryan Hingston (Windsor,
Vt.) who had previously reached on an error. The game was locked at
1-0 until the top of the seventh inning, when Owl junior Ryan Jones
(Nashua, N.H.) opened the frame with a walk. After a sacrifice bunt
and a pop out, junior Greg Ford (Nashua, N.H.) singled to second
base, eventually scoring Jones because of a Pride error on the
play.
In the bottom of the eighth inning, Keene State's Mabey retired the
first two batters, but an Owl error prolonged the inning and put
senior Chris Stack (Albany, N.Y.) on base. After a Stack stolen
base, his third of the season, Kropa drove in the senior with a
shot to left field for the eventual game-winner. Hodder then came
out for SC in the bottom of the ninth and retired Keene State in
order for the victory.
The Owls will travel to Babson College on Thursday for a
non-conference game against the Beavers (3 p.m.).
