NORTH DARTMOUTH  4/7/07 - The Keene State College baseball returned from a five-day lay-off to sweep UMass-Dartmouth 5-0 and 9-1 in a Little East Conference doubleheader played Saturday in North Dartmouth, Mass.

Playing their first games since last Sunday didn't deter the Owls (14-7, 3-1 LEC) who took advantage of a pair of strong pitching performances and a combined 23 hits to take two from the Corsairs (4-13, 1-4 LEC).

Senior pitcher Rick Stromgren (Keene, N.H.)tossed a complete game (nine inning  Stromgren, who fanned five and didn't issue a walk improved his record to 4-1.  It was his 17 win of his career (2004-07) setting a new KSC victory record.  The previous mark of 16 was held by Matt Lavatori (1999-2001).

Stomgren got plenty of support at the plate.  Finishing with 11 hits, KSC scored three in the fifth on an RBI single by James Chevalier (Amherst, N.H.) and a two-run double by Greg Ford (Nashua, N.H.).  Ford, who had three hits in the game, added a two-run home run in the seventh, his first of the season.

Chavalier and Beau Darak (Londonderry, N.H.) chipped in with two hits each.

Phil Mabey (Williamstown, Mass.) gave KSC six solid innings on the mound and Darak blasted two home runs and had four RBIs in the second game.

Keene State scored four runs in the second inning.  Darak hit his first round-tripper of the game, a two-run shot to center.  Ben Fournier (Center Harbor, N.H.) had a two-run single up the middle.

Darak didn't waste any time blasting his second dinger, a solo shot to left. It was his third home run of the season for the freshman first baseman.

The Owls added two more runs in the in the fourth on a sacrifice fly by Ryan Jones (Nashua, N.H.) and a RBI double by Joe Rousseau (Nashua, N.H.).  The completed their scoring with two more in the sixth on RBI singles by Rousseau and Darak.

Darak and John Grainger (Keene, N.H.) finished the game with three hits each.

Mabey (1-1) who picked up his first win of the season, gave up one earned run, two hits with five strikeouts and one walk in his six innings on the mound.  The bullpen did its job.  Mike Riley (East Hartford, Conn.) tossed two innings of two-hit ball and Dan Martin (Cromwell, Con) tossed a scoreless ninth inning. 

"Considering we haven't been out on a baseball field even to practice, I'm very pleased how we played," said KSC coach Ken Howe.  The players deserve a lot of credit.  Despite the lay-off, they were able to come down here and get two big conference wins."

Keene State is scheduled to play Plymouth State on Monday at Owl Athletic Complex.  A determination on whether that game will be played will be made on Sunday.