WINTER HAVEN, FLA. 3/12/11 – Playing under sunny skies and 70 degree temperatures, the Keene State bats heated up, spraying 19 hits around the Chain of Lakes field in an 18-10 win over Clarkson University in Winter Haven, Florida on Saturday.
Junior Erik Bergstrom (Enfield, Conn.) led the Owls' attack, going 4-for-5 with six RBIs. Senior Bobby Doyon (Keene, N.H.) also had a good day at the plate, collecting three hits, including a home run, and collecting three RBIs.
The Owls (2-1) took advantage of some timely hitting and several miscues in the field by the Golden Knight (1-2) in the early innings. Two-run double by junior Juan Bisono (New Britain, Conn.) and Bergstrom staked KSC to an 8-0 lead going into the bottom of the third inning.
After Clarkson cut the lead to 8-6, KSC pulled ahead 10-6 in the sixth on solo home run by sophomore Greg Bates (Salem, N.H.) and Doyon. The Golden Knights came back with two runs in the bottom of the inning but the Owls answered with a RBI single by Bergstrom in the seventh and a run-producing double by junior Larry Longo (Londonderry, N.H.) in the eighth to go up 12-8.
Keene State broke the game open in the top of the ninth. scoring six runs on seven hits. Junior Dan Arsenault (Hot Springs, Ark.), senior Tyler DiPrato (Suffield, Conn.), Doyon, and Bergstrom all had RBI hits in the uprising.
Bates, DiPrato and freshman David Valley (Essex Junction, Vt.) each chipped in with two hits.
Junior Tim Thiesing (South Grafton, Mass.) started for the Owls and gave up five runs on four hits with two strikeouts and three walks over three and two-thirds innings on the mound. Junior Jeff Pelkey (Fitzwilliam, N.H.) picked up his first win of the season (1-0). He went an inning and a third, giving up two runs on three hits with one strikeout. Junior Dan Wogksch (Bethel. Conn.), senior Corey Vogt (Suffield, Conn.) and sophomore Joe Katin (Byfield, Mass.) also saw time on the mound for the Owls.
"Offensivley, I was very pleased. I liked our approach at the plate," said KSC Coach Ken Howe. Defensively we need to clean things up. Thiesing deserved a better fate.
Owls pitchers gave up just two earned runs due in large part to six errors committed by KSC in the field.
Keene State plays FDU-Florham (N.J.) in Auburndale, Fla. on Sunday (9:30 a.m.).
