KEENE, N.H. 4/27/11 –  The Keene State College softball team swept a Little East Conference doubleheader against rival Plymouth State University at Owl Athletic Complex on Wednesday. 

Sophomore Kayla Joyce (Bridgewater, Mass.) knocked in a couple of runs to lead the Owls to a 4-2 win in the first game.  Junior Laura Chandler (Wakefield, Mass.) belted a grand slam home run and junior pitcher Sara Stocklinski (Newton, N.J.) improved her record to 11-0 in Keene State's 5-2 victory in the nightcap.

Playing their final home regular-season games of the season, the Owls improve to 27-8-1 (9-3 LEC).  Plymouth State falls to 15-16 (3-7 LEC).  Currently second in the LEC, KSC wraps up its regular season at conference-leading Eastern Conn. on Saturday.

Keene State scored two runs in the bottom of the first and third innings to take a 4-0 lead in the opener.  Joyce singled down the right field line to bring home two runs in the first.  The Owls scored their two runs in the fourth on an error and ground out.

The Panthers got two runs back in the fifth on RBI singles from senior Kortney Nedeau (Kennebunk, Maine) and freshman Sam Hebert (Manchester, N.H.).

Junior Emily Albin (Bethel, Conn.) got the win in the circle, improving her record to 11-4.  She went 6.1 innings, giving up two runs on four hits with eight strikeouts and four walks.

            Freshman Amber White (Middleboro, Mass.), now 9-8, took the loss for PSU.  She allowed four runs on five hits while fanning six and walking three batters.

Sophomore Nicole Dupuis's (Fitchburg, Mass.) RBI single gave KSC a 1-0 first inning lead in the second game.

Plymouth State tied the game in the third inning on a run-producing single from freshman Jackie Digman (Burlington, Mass.).  The Owls got the run right back in the bottom of the inning on a RBI double from Joyce.

Coming up with the bases loaded in the fourth, Chandler hit a fly ball that carried just over the fence in left field to clear the bases and give the Owls a 6-1 lead.  It was the third home run of the season for Chandler, the LEC's offensive player of the week.  "I was just looking to make contact," said Chandler.  "It wasn't a hard hit ball, but got over the fence." 

Freshman Taylor Mancini hit a solo home run in the seventh to account for the final score.

Keene State had 10 hits in the second game.  Dupuis and Joyce each had two hits.  Digman and Mancini each had two hits for the Panthers in the nightcap.

Stocklinski got the complete game win for the Owls.  She gave up two runs on five hits with seven strikeouts and three walks in her seven innings of work.

Freshman Nora Galvin (Windham, N.H.) tossed the first 3.1 innings for PSC and took the loss (5-8).  She allowed six runs on nine hits with four strikeouts and two walks.

Plymouth State hosts Framingham State on Friday.