AMHERST, MASS.  4/9/09 - The hits just keep on coming for the Keene State College baseball team.  The Owls collected 21 hits en route to an 18-12 non-conference victory over host Amherst College at Memorial Field on Thursday afternoon.

The Owls (12-8) plated at least one run in every inning but the fifth on the way to scoring in double figures for the 11th times this season.

All Owl starters finished the game with at least one hit. Bobby Doyon, (Keene, N.H.) went five-for-six with a double and four RBIs to lead the attack while Jeff  Perkins (Dunbarton, N.H.) and Tyler DiPrato (Suffield, Conn.) each had three hits. Jamie Chevalier (Amherst, N.H.) scored five runs and drove in three runs.

"I've had some good hitting teams in the past, but none so consistently strong from top to bottom," said KSC Coach Ken Howe.  "We have to work on other facets of the game, I'm a little concerned with our pitching and we need to clean up our defense."

The Owls scored six runs in the second inning to go up 7-1.  Beau Darak (Londonderry, N.H.) had a bloop RBI single, Perkins drew a bases-loaded walk to plate Cody Callahan (Seekonk, Mass.), before Chevalier put Keene up 5-1 with a two-RBI liner down the right-field line. The hit left base runners on second and third with no outs, and Keene State's Keith Patnode (Keene, N.H.)  at the dish, Amherst traded one more run for the first out of the frame as sophomore left-fielder Brian Merrigan made a diving catch in foul territory.

KSC added single runs in the third and fourth innings, but the Lord Jeffs (9-9) kept pecking away at the Owls lead.  The scored four runs in the fourth and two more in the fifth to make it 9-9.

Keene State regained the lead at 10-9 in the top of the sixth, as Chevalier scored on a double down the left-field line by Doyon.  The Owls blew the game back open in the top of the seventh inning, scoring five more runs during an impressive two-out rally that included an RBI double down the left field line by Doyon, a two-run single by Anthony Cipolla (Glastonbury, Conn.) and a run scoring single by Callahan. The Owls added single runs in the eighth and ninth innings.  

Freshman Cory Gilmore (Northfield, N.H.)  started for the Owls and pitched the first five innings. Jeff Pelkey (Fitzwilliam, N.H.) took over in the sixth and picked up the win to improve his record to 3-1.  He gave up three runs on five hits with a strikeout and a walk in his three innings of work on the mound.  Tim Thiesing (South Grafton, Mass.) tossed the final inning.

Keene State is scheduled to play its fist home game of the season on Friday when it hosts rival Plymouth State at 3:30 p.m.