PHOENIX, AZ. 3/13/10 – The Keene State College baseball team began its 12-game spring week trip by splitting a doubleheader against the College of New Jersey at South Mountain Community College in Phoenix on Saturday.

After dropping the first game 9-7, the Owls (1-1) came back to take the second game 14-10.

Keene State banged out 15 hits and got a solid start on the mound from sophomore Jeff Pelkey (Fitzwilliam, N.H.) in the nightcap.

The Owls scored four runs in the second on a bases-clearing double by sophomore Kyle Morrill (Auburn, Maine) and an RBI single from senior Keith Patnode (Keene, N.H.).  A two-out, two-run single by sophomore Erik Bergstrom (Enfield, Conn.) made it 6-1. 

KSC added six more runs in the sixth inning to go up 12-2.  The inning featured a two-run home run by Morrill, a two-run double by junior Bobby Doyon (Keene, N.H.), and a two-run triple to center by junior Peter Burgio (Bolton, Conn.).   

The College of New Jersey came back with three runs in the seventh and five more runs in the eighth to close the gap to 12-10.  KSC scored a couple of insurance runs in the bottom of the eighth when Burgio plated two runs with a triple.

Patnode had a super first day taking over as the Owls' leadoff hitting, getting seven hits in nine at bats, including a 4-4 in the second game.  “It's nice to be at the top of the order and getting more at-bats,” he said. 

Burgio, a junior transfer from Manchester (Conn.) Community College had an impressive debut with two hits and four RBIs. Starting at third in the game, junior Mark Wiggins (Rochester, N.H.), a transfer for UMass-Lowell, had three hits.  Morrill finished the game with two hits and five RBIs. 

Pelkey allowed two runs on six hits in six innings to get the win.  He struck out six and issued a walk.  Sophomore Spencer Hutchinson (Broad Brook, Conn.), freshman Tim Quagliaroli (Windsor Locks, Conn.), and sophomores Nick Winn (West Harford, Conn.), and Dan Wogksch (Bethel, Conn.) also saw action on the mound for KSC.  Wogksch got out of a jam in the top of the eighth and got the side in the ninth to nail down the win for the Owls.

The Owls rallied late in the first game, but couldn't catch the Lions. 

Trailing 9-3 in the seventh, Patnode hit a two-run home run to make it 9-5.

The Owls scored two more runs in the top of the ninth on a bases loaded walk by sophomore Cody Callahan (Seekonk, Mass.) and a sacrifice fly from Burgio.  

Keene State finished the game with 12 hits.  Patnode and Jesse Cahill (Cranston, R.I.) each had three hits.  Patnode had three RBIs while Cahill knocked in a couple of runs. 

Doyon and Bergstrom both went 2-for-4 at the plate.

Senior Jeff Raymond (Amston, Conn.) started for KSC and took the loss. He pitched 2.1 innings, giving up four runs, five hits with three strikeouts and two walks.  Junior Ed Lacourse (Manchester, N.H.), sophomore Kyle O'Brien (Springfield, N.H.), and junior Corey Vogt (Suffield, Conn.) followed Raymond to the mound.  Vogt had a strong outing, allowing just one hit and fanning three batters in two innings of work.

“It was your typical Keene State- College of New Jersey doubleheader,” said KSC Coach Ken Howe.  “I though we did some nice things, getting some hits and playing pretty good defense, but the pitching was up-and down.”

Keene State plays two seven-innings games against Simpson (IA) College on Sunday.