DANBURY, CT (April 19) - The Keene State softball team
split a Little East Conference doubleheader against Western Conn in
Danbury on Sunday, winning the opener 7-2 and losing the
nightcap 9-5.
The Owls (14-11-1, 7-4-1 LEC) extended their winning streak to
six games with a victory in the first game. Falling behind 2-0, KSC
scored one run in the fourth. Senior Katie
Allenson (Clifton Park, N.Y.) led off with a double and
came home on a fielder's choice ground out by junior
Stephanie Lavado (Wallingford, Conn.).
Keene State took a 3-2 lead with a pair of runs in the fifth
inning. Freshman Laura Chandler (Wakefield, MA)
led off the inning with a single to right center then came around
to score on an infield single by senior Allie
D'Amato (Bristol, Conn.). Two batters later, freshman
Haley Chandler (Wakefield, Mass.) plated Jenna
Patnode (Surry, NH) with another infield hit.
KSC scored four more runs in the seventh. The inning
included a manufactured run by Patnode, who walked, stole two bases
and came home on a ground out an RBI single by Lavado.
Allenson, D'Amato and Haley Chandler each had two hits for the
KSC.
Freshman Ashley Clark (Bentwood, N.H.) allowed
seven hits, struck out six and did not yield a walk over seven
innings. She improves to 4-3 on the season.
Falling behind 5-1 in the second game, KSC tied the game
with a four run third inning that included RBI singles from
D'Amato, Haley Chandler, and Katie Bradford
(Lebanon, N.H.).
Sophomore righty Brittany Connors came on in relief helping the
Colonials earn a split with a win in the second game. Connors, now
5-3 on the season, came on for starter Kara Cullinane with the
score knotted at 5-5 in the top of the fourth inning. Connors
allowed just two hits over the final four frames while striking out
one and walking two.
With both starters removed from the game, WestConn scored what
proved to the winning run in a three-run fourth inning. With one
out, the Colonials reeled off four straight hits off reliever and
eventual losing pitcher freshman Samantha Pratt
(3-2) (West Hartford, CT). The big blow in the inning was a two-run
double from Anna Levesque.
Haley Chandler led the Owls' offensive attack in the second
game, going 3-for-4 with an RBI and two runs scored. D'Amato and
Bradford each had two hits.
Keene State hosts rival Plymouth State on Tuesday.
