KEENE, N.H.  4/25/09 - The Keene State College softball team swept a Little East Conference doubleheader against UMass-Boston at Owl Athletic Complex on Friday.

Resuming a game that was postponed last Tuesday due to rain, the Owls defeated Beacons 13-2 in the opener.  KSC shutout UMB in the nightcap 15-0.  Both games were halted after five innings due to the mercy rule.

KSC (18-11-1, 6-3-1 LEC) has won 10 of its last 11 game.  UMB falls to 10-20 overall and 2-10 in the conference.

The second game was a record-setter for the Owls on the base paths. Senior Jenna Patnode (Surry, N.H.) set a school record with five stolen bases.  Patnode has been successful in all 31 of her steal attempts this season and is five away from the season mark of 36 and16 away from the career record (99) both held by Anne Kelleher. KSC had a combined nine steals in the two games, setting a new mark with 64.  The previous record of 62 was set in 1994.  

"We haven't had speed for many years, we depended on power hitting" said KSC Coach Charlie Beach.  "This year with the addition of several freshmen who have really good wheels plus Jenna we've been able to add speed to our arsenal. Speed kills and it gives us a new dimension."

Action was resumed in the fourth inning of the first game with the Owls holding a 6-2 lead.  On Tuesday, the Owls plated two runs in the second with junior Stephanie Lavado (Wallingford, Conn.) hitting her third home run of the season.

After the Beacons tied the game in the third on two-run home run by senior Lauren O'Connor (Everett, Mass.), KSC scored four runs in the bottom of the inning before rain halted play.  Senior Katie Allenson (Clifton Park, N.Y.), and freshman Haley Chandler (Wakefield, Mass.) had back-to-back RBI doubles, and Lavado drove in a run with a single.

KSC went right back to work on Thursday, scoring seven runs in the fourth inning.  The first six batters in the innings had hits with Chandler, Lavado, sophomore Katie Bradford (Lebanon, N.H.), Allenson knocking in runs.

KSC finished the game with 16 hits.  Lavado had three hits and four RBIs and Allenson added three hits and three RBIs.  Senior Allie D'Amato (Bristol, Conn.), Chandler, and Bradford also had three hits in the game.

O'Connor had two of the Beacons six hits.

Freshman Ashley Clark (Brentwood, N.H.) gave up two runs on six hits while fanning four and walking one to improve her record to 5-3/

Freshman Kara Willis (Burrillville, R.I.) (9-15) took the loss for the Beacons.

Keene State scored 15 runs in the first three innings of the second game. The Owls used their speed on the base paths and took advantage of the wildness of the Beacon pitches who had four wild pitches and five hit-by-pitches in the game.

KSC scored three run in the first, four more in the second and eight more in the third.  Patnode and Allenson each crossed the plate three times while D'Amato, Chandler, Lavado, and Bradford had two RBIs each.

Junior Amanda Cianciulli (Billerica, Mass.) and Elisa LaRoche (Westford, Mass.) had the only two hits for UMB.

Freshman Courtney Savoie (Stratham, N.H.) tossed five innings of two hit ball to improve her record to 6-3.  She stuck out six and walked one.

Senior Courtney Haroules (Littleton, Mass.) (1-5) took the loss for the Beacons.

Keene State hits the road for LEC doubleheaders at Southern Maine on Saturday and Eastern Conn. on Sunday. 

"It's a big deal if we want to end up with a higher seed," said Beach.

If the Owls' tie earlier in the season (April 4) against R.I. College figures in the standings, the Anchormen will travel to Eastern Conn. on Sunday and the two teams will finish the game after the twinbill against ECSU.  "I agreed to it because, we don't have another solution," Beach said.