KEENE, N.H. 4/7/11 – After allowing two runs in the top of the first inning, the Keene State College baseball team settled down, shutting down the Framingham State offense in an 8-2 victory at Owl Athletic Complex on Thursday afternoon.

"We battled all day," said KSC head coach Ken Howe. "We played good defense, got a quality start from Kyle Underwood (Campton, N.H.) and the bullpen pitched well which allowed our bats to get on track and eventually score some runs."

The Owls (13-5), trailed 2-0 until the bottom of the fifth inning when junior Erik Bergstrom (Enfield, Conn.) plated two KSC runs with a single to right field. "I didn't try to do too much at the plate," said Bergstrom. "I just took the ball the other way."

In the bottom-half of the seventh, Bergstrom came to the plate in another clutch situation with one out and a runner in scoring position. "Everyone wants to come to the plate in key situations," said Bergstrom. "Today was just my day." The junior singled to right field again, scoring pinch runner Matt Topper (Hudson, N.H.) for the game-winning run.

Keene State would tack on five more runs in the long bottom half of the seventh inning, with junior Kyle Morrill (Auburn, N.H.)  and senior Tyler DiPrato (Suffield, Conn.) each slapping two-RBI hits to put the Owls up for good 8-2.

Underwood settled down and allowed just the two first-inning runs over five and a third innings on five hits and had three strikeouts. Junior Jeff Pelkey (Richmond, N.H.) picked up his third win of the season going an inning and two-thirds of scoreless ball. Sophomores Eric Perrault (Salem, N.H.)  and Joe Katin (Byfield, Mass.) tossed scoreless innings in the eighth and ninth for the Owls.

Framingham (9-9) reliever Jason Hutchinson (Kingston, Mass.) took his first loss of the season allowing two runs on four hits in an inning and two-thirds.

Ram designated-hitter Corey Ketterer (Plymouth, Mass.) and third baseman Dan Chaisson (Watertown, Mass.) each had RBI doubles in the first inning to score the visitors runs. Ketterer was the lone Framingham batter with multiple hits, going two-for-four in the losing effort.

Bergstrom finished the day four-for-five with three RBI's and a run scored for the Owls. Morill and DiPrato each had two hits and two RBI's for KSC in the victory.

Keene State returns to action this Saturday with an LEC doubleheader at UMass-Dartmouth starting at noon. Framingham returns to action tomorrow with a single-game at Newbury College at 4 p.m.