BOSTON, MA - Keene State split a Little East Conference softball
doubleheader against UMass-Boston on Tuesday. The Owls won
the first game 9-1 in five innings. The Beacons came back to
edge the Owls 6-5 in the nightcap.
Trailing 1-0 in the opener, the Owls scored nine unanswered
runs. Kaity Conklin (Selkirk, N.Y.) worked a
walk in the second inning for the Owls and later scored on an error
to knot the score at 1-1. Keene broke the game open with five
runs in the third, highlighted by a bases-loaded triple by
Jenna Patnode (Surry, N.H.) to give the Owls a 6-1
advantage. It was Patnode's fifth triple of the
season and 20th of her career breaking the KSC
record previously held by Laura Mackay. Junior
designated player Katie Allenson (Clifton Park,
NY) opened the third inning with a walk and later scored on an RBI
single up the middle by Conklin to increase the Keene lead to 7-1,
before it added two more runs in the fifth to take an eight-run
lead and enact the mercy rule after five innings of play.
Jessica Starkey (Keene, N.H.) knocked in the
eighth run with a fielder's choice and Scata brought home the ninth
run with a single.
Senior right-hander Ashlee Nicholson (Swanzey,
N.H.) improved to 10-4 for the Owls, going five complete
innings and allowing just one run on five hits and a walk, while
fanning six.
Junior catcher Jenn Widener (Hyde Park, MA) went 2-4 with
a triple and three runs batted in to lead UMB to a second game
victory. The win snapped a 22-game losing streak for the Beacons
vs. the Owls and marked their first-ever win against Keene since
their first meeting on April 18, 1998. Keene State is
20-10 and 6-6 in the LEC. UMass Boston goes to 5-26 overall
and 2-10 in LEC play.
The Beacons wasted no time getting on the board in the
second game. A two-run triple to right center field by
Widener gave UMB a 2-0 lead. Junior right fielder Lauren
O'Connor (Everett, MA) later reached on an error with Widener
scoring on the play for a 3-0 Beacons' lead. UMass Boston
added two more runs in the second when sophomore designated player
Amanda Cianciulli (Billerica, MA) reached on a bunt single and came
around to score on a double to right field by Kristine
Faffley. Faffley then stole third base and scored on a
Widener single up the middle to give the Beacons a 5-0 lead.
The Owls answered with two runs in the top of the third
when junior left fielder Allie D'Amato (Bristol,
CT) cracked a double to left field and scored on a triple to right
field by junior center fielder Patnode to put them on the
board. Patnode then scored when senior second
baseman Starkey reached on a throwing error to cut the deficit
to 5-2. Keene State tacked on another run in the fourth when
senior designated player Melissa Scata (Medway,
MA) drew a leadoff walk, senior Liz Mroczka (Rocky
Hill, CT) pinch ran and later scored via a pair of passed balls to
pull the Owls to within 5-3. UMass Boston got the run back in
the bottom of the frame when Faffley led off with a single to right
field and later scored when Widener reached on an error to give UMB
a 6-3 margin. The Owls rallied for two runs in the sixth to
cut the deficit to just one run when senior first baseman Conklin
drove a double to left center to lead off the inning and senior
right fielder Julia May (Deep River, CT) followed
with a walk. Both runners moved into scoring position on a
sacrifice bunt by sophomore catcher Stephanie
Lavado (Wallingford, CT) and then were plated thanks to a
two-run double to left center off the bat of D'Amato. That
would be the end of the day's scoring, as UMB held on for the
win.
Junior right-hander Courtney Haroules (Littleton, MA) (3-19)
earned the victory for UMB, allowing five runs (four earned) on six
hits and three walks, while striking out six in seven complete
innings and freshman righty Jessie Williams
(Jaffrey, NH) (6-5) suffered the loss for Keene State, giving up
five runs (four earned) on six hits in addition to a pair of
strikeouts in one and two-thirds innings.
Keene State hosts University of Southern Maine for a
doubleheader on April 26 at 1:00 p.m.
