KEENE, N.H. 4/16/08 - The Keene State softball team split a pair of one run games in a non-conference doubleheader against Williams College at Owl Athletic Complex on Wednesday.

The Owls won the opener 3-2 in dramatic fashion when junior designated player Katie Allenson (Clifton Park, N.Y.) delivered a one-out bases loaded single up the middle in the bottom of the seventh inning to score the game winning run. 

"I just tried to put the ball in play and it worked out," said Allenson. "They're a good non-conference rival."

Down 2-1 going in the seventh, Senior Liz Mroczka (Rocky Hill, Conn.) began the rally with a double to right center. Senior Julia May (Deep River, Conn.) reached on an error, moving Mroczka to third.  Junior Allie D'Amato (Bristol, Conn.) singled to right to score Mroczka with the tying run.  That set the stage for the game-winning hit by Allenson, who has a team best 21 RBIs.

Trailing 1-0, KSC tied the game in the third when D'Amato opened the inning with a single and came around to score on a ground out.

Williams got up a run in the sixth to go up 2-1.

Allenson and D'Amato had two hits in the game.

Senior Ashlee Nicholson (Swanzey, N.H.), 6-3, got the complete game victory. She scattered five hits, struck out five and walked one.

A late inning rally by the Owls fell short in the nightcap. 

Down 5-1, the Owls got one run back in the second on Patnode's second home run in as many days and her fifth of the season.  May had a two-run triple in the third to cut the deficit to 5-4.

After the Ephs scored three runs in the fourth to go up 8-4, the Owls pecked away with single runs in the fifth, sixth and seven innings.  Allenson had a solo home run to lead off the fifth, her fourth of the season.

May doubled in a run in the seventh, but KSC couldn't get the equalizer to the plate.

Senior Colleen Ferguson (Sussex, N.J.) led KSC's 14-hit attack with four hits.  Patnode and May chipped in with three hits each. 

Freshman Jessie Williams (Jaffrey, N.H.) took the loss for KSC.  Her record is 5-3.  Senior Jessica Starkey (Keene, N.H.) came in to pitch the final 3.2 innings. It was her first pitching assignment for KSC.

Keene State is scheduled to play New England College on Friday. The set has yet to be determined.