KEENE, N.H. 3/15/08 - Keene State College bats erupted for a combined 24 runs and 36 hits on the way to sweeping rival Plymouth State University 10-1 and 14-3 (five innings) in a Little East softball doubleheader played at Owl Athletic Complex on Tuesday.

            Keene State (13-5, 2-4 LEC), which was playing its first home games of the season, picked up its first two conference wins.  Plymouth State falls to 16-8 and 2-6 in the LEC.

            The Owls cracked five home runs in the twinbill.  The second game included a milestone home run for KSC's Melissa "Mo" Scata (Medway, Mass.).  The senior designated player hit her third home run of the season, a two-run shot to right center in the third inning, tying the Owl career home run record (24) held by Carrah Fisk. 

            "I had a rough game against R.I. College, so I was just trying to make contact today," said Scata.  "I knew I hit it well, but anything I hit to the right side I never know what's going to happen."

            The Owls collected 17 hits in the opener. Taking a 1-0 lead in the first inning on an RBI single by junior Katie Allenson (Clifton Park, N.Y.), KSC added two more runs in the fourth on a two-run home run by Jenna Patnode (Surry, N.H.).   KSC broke the game open with a four run fifth inning that included a two-run triple by Patnode and a two-run home run by Jessica Starkey (Keene, N.H.).  It was the fourth round-tripper of the season for Patnode and the second of the year for Starkey.

            Senior Katie Conklin (Selkirk, N.Y.) hit the Owls' third home run of the game, a solo shot in the sixth.  Conklin has two home runs this season.

            The Owls added two more runs in the seventh on RBI hits from Conklin and freshman Ashley Annis (Gilford, N.H.). 

            Plymouth State's lone run came in the fifth, a home run to center by freshman Laura Kaplan (Franklin, N.H.). It was her second dinger of the season.

            Patnode and Allenson had three hits each for KSC.  Danielle Normand (Rumford, R.I.) had two of the Panthers' five hits.

            Senior pitcher Ashlee Nicholson (Swanzey, N.H.) got the complete game win to improve her record to 5-3.  She gave up five hits while fanning 10 and not issuing a walk.

            Panther starter Kat Roland (Norton, Mass.), (7-3) took the loss.

            Keene State pounded out 19 more hits in the second game.  After scoring two runs in the first on a two-run home run by Allenson, (her third of the season), the Owls plated six more runs in the second.  The inning featured a three run double by Allenson, who finished the game with three hits and five RBIs.

            The Owls added two more runs on Scata's milestone blast in the third and four more in the fifth. 

            Sophomore catcher Stephanie Levado (Wallingford, Conn.) had three hits in the nightcap for KSC. Patnode, who was on base all day was seven-for-eight in the doubleheader with seven runs scored and four RBIs.

            "It was a better day than I've been having," said Patnode.  "I was just looking for base hits and a way to get on base."

            "Hitting is catching,' said KSC Coach Charlie Beach.  "I like the way my players swing the bat. They've worked real hard in practice and today and previous games, they've put it to good use." 

            PSU scored one run in third on an RBI by Heather Botolo (Derry, N.H.).  Freshman Kortney Nedeau (Kennebunk, Me., who had two hits in the game for the Panthers, had a two-run double in the fifth. 

            Freshman pitcher Jessie Williams (Jaffrey, N.H.) scattered eight hits on the way to posting the five inning win.  She struck out six and didn't walk a batter to improve her record to 5-3.

            Junior Courtney MacFarland (Hampstead, N.H.) took the loss for PSC.

            KSC is back in action on Wednesday hosting Williams (3:30 p.m.).

            Plymouth State is at Framingham State on Thursday (3:30 p.m.).