BELMONT, MASS., 04/3/08 - Rivals Keene State and Plymouth State University took to the road on Thursday to get their Little East Conference game played. With both teams still unable to play at home, the Owls and Panthers hooked up in a slugfest at Belmont (Mass.) High School where Keene State held off a late Plymouth rally to secure a 12-9 win.

Keene State, ranked No. 9 nationally in the current ABCA Division III national poll improves to 13-4 (2-1 LEC). Plymouth falls to 4-12 (0-4 LEC).

The Panthers jumped on the Owls for five runs in the top of the first. PSC, which took advantage of three KSC errors, had four hits, including an RBI single by Steve Picco (Marshfield, Mass.).

KSC took the lead right back with six runs in the bottom of the second. With two outs, Jeff Perkins (Dunbarton, N.H.) and Joe Rousseau (Nashua, N.H.) delivered RBI hits, and Jamie Chevalier (Amherst, N.H.) cracked his first home run of the season, a three-run shot to right center.

The Owls scored two more runs in the third and fourth innings to go up 10-5. Ryan Jones (Nashua, N.H.) had a two-run single in the third.

The Panthers got one run back in the fifth on a two-out RBI single from Picco.

KSC got two more insurance runs in the sixth. Chevalier tripled and came home on a fielder's choice and Bobby Doyon (Keene, N.H.) had an RBI double.

They would need the runs. Kevin Levandowski (Derry, N.H.)made things interesting with a three run home run, his first of the season, in the top of the eighth.

Greg Ford (Nashua, N.H.) came in to shutdown the Panthers in the ninth to notch his fifth save of the season.

"It was nice to get back on the field," said KSC Coach Ken Howe, whose been burning up the phone lines trying to find a playable field not in use. "We were a little shaky in the first inning and fortunate to give up only five runs. The guys continue to swing hot bats and we were able to take the lead back."

KSC finished the game with 14 hits, Tyler Diprato (Suffield, Conn.) and Chevalier led the way with three hits. Perkins, Rousseau, and Doyon had two each hit each.

Levandowski had a big day for the Panthers, finishing with four hits and three RBIs. Jay Kleponis (Reading, Mass.) and Picco finished with two hits each.

KSC starter Aaron LaPlante (Charlestown, N.H.) improved his record to 3-0. He pitched six innings, giving up six runs on eight hits with five strikeouts and a walk. Mike Riley (East Hartford, Conn.) pitched a couple of inning before handing the ball to Ford.

Freshman John Andersch (Concord, N.H.), now 1-2, started for PSC and took the loss. He game up eight runs on six hits with four strikeouts and six walks over the first three innings. Chris Welch (So. Burlington, Vt.) and Justin Flanagan also saw action on the mound.

The two teams' schedule remains in flux. Keene State's is scheduled to play at Western Conn. on Saturday. PSC travels to UMass-Dartmouth on Sunday.