NORTH DARTMOUTH, MASS. 4/9/11 – Juniors Kyle Morrll (Auburn, N.H.) and Erik Bergstrom (Enfield, Conn.) knocked in runs in the top of the 10th inning and

pitchers Tim Thiesing (South Grafton, Mass.), Corey Vogt (Suffield, Conn.) and Eric Perrault (Salem, N.H.) combined on a five-hitter, enabling the Keene State College baseball to win the second game 2-0 and salvage a double-header split on the road at UMass-Dartmouth on Saturday. The Owls dropped the opener 9-7.

Keene State goes to 14-6 (2-2 LEC) while UMD is 8-10 (2-2 LEC).

Freshman Nick Vita (Spofford, N.H.) led off the inning with a double to right center.  With the Corsairs looking for a bunt to move Vita to third, Morril drove the ball to right field to score Vita with the go-ahead run.  "I was trying to push the runner over, but I was able to drive the ball into the gap," said Morrill.  "It was a great win to avoid the sweep."

"Thiesing gave us seven strong innings and we were able to scratch a couple runs across the plate in the 10th," said KSC Coach Ken Howe.  "It was nice to come of the doubleheader with at least a split."

Bergstrom followed with a single up the middle to plate Morrill with a key insurance run.

Both teams had chances to score in the pitching duel.  KSC left two runners on base in the first and seventh innings.  Vogt came into pitch in the eighth and got the side in order.  In the ninth he gave up a single and walk, but got out of the jam by fanning Tim Phillips and Wayne Bolz.

Thiesing went seven strong innings, giving up four hits while striking out six and walking one.  Vogt, who improves to 3-0, gave up one hit in his two innings of work, fanning three and walking one batter.  Perrault pitched a perfect inning in the bottom of the second to notch his first save of the season.

Keene State finished the game with 10 hits.  Junior Dan Arsenault (Dover, N.H.) and Vitta each had two hits.  

KSC took a 2-0 lead in the top of the first in the opener.  Senior Bobby Doyon (Keene, N.H.) scored a run on a fielder's choice and junior Larry Longo (Londonderry, N.H.) had a RBI single. Longo had another RBI hit in the third to make it 3-0.  

Falling behind 6-3, the Owls got within a run (6-5) on a two-run single by Arsenault.  UMD scored three times in the seventh to make it 9-5.

KSC made things interesting, scoring two times in the top of the ninth on a run single by junior Juan Bisono (New Britain, Conn.).

Senior Tyler DiPrato (Suffield, Conn.) and Longo each finished with three hits while Bisano and Morrill had two hits each.  KSC had 13 hits in the game.

Sophomore Chris Crutcher (Londonderry, N.H.)  took the loss for the Owls.  Going to 2-3 on the season, he tossed 3.2 innings, giving up six runs and six hits with one strikeout and one walk.

Keene State is at Babson College on Sunday (1 p.m.)