KEENE, N.H., 4/19/08 - The Keene State softball team swept
UMass-Dartmouth (10-1 and 7-1) in a Little East Conference
doubleheader highlighted by a record-setting home run by senior
Melissa "Mo" Scata (Medway, Mass.) on Saturday in Keene.
Winners of six of their last eight the Owls go to 17-7 (4-4
LEC). UMD falls to 5-19 (1-7 LEC).
Scata's milestone home run, a three run blast to centerfield came
in the first inning of the five-inning opener and helped stake the
Owls to an early 4-1 lead they would never relinquish. With
her fourth round-tripper of the season, Scata becomes KSC all-time
home run leader with 25, breaking the previous record held by
Carrah Fisk Hennessey.
Leading 5-1, the Owls added three more runs in the bottom of the
third on run-producing hits by Julia May (Deep River, Conn.), Allie
D'Amato (Bristol, Conn.), and Katie Allenson (Clifton Park,
N.Y.). KSC plated two more runs in the fourth on RBI hits
from Elizabeth Mroczka (Rocky Hill, Conn.) and Jenna Patnode
(Surry, N.H.).
After giving up two hits in the first, senior Ashlee Nicholson
(Swanzey, N.H.) gave up two hits the rest of the way on the way to
improving her record to 8-3. She fanned four and didn't issue a
walk.
Junior Vickie Andruszkiewicz (Danvers, Mass.) had two of the
Corsairs four hits.
UMD starter Junior Amie Nickerson (Wrentham, Mass.) (4-10) took the
loss.
Freshman pitcher Jessie Williams (Jaffrey, N.H.) tossed a complete
game three hitter in the second game. She fanned seven and
walked just one batter to improve her record to 6-4.
KSC jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first on RBI singles from
Jessica Starkey (Keene, N.H.) and Allenson. Patnode had an
RBI double in the second and Stephanie Lavado (Wallingford, Conn.)
had a two-run single in a four run fifth.
UMD's only run came in the sixth on a single by Ashley Puls (West
Springfield, Mass.).
Sophomore Kathleen L'Abbe (New Bedford, Mass.) (0-1) took the loss
for the Corsairs.
Keene State is back in action on Sunday with a LEC doubleheader
against Eastern Conn. (12 p.m.). UMD is at ESCU on Tuesday (5
p.m.).
