MANSFIELD, Conn. –Junior Tim Thiesing (South Grafton, MA) recorded a season-high 10 strikeouts to stymie the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth attack and lead Keene State College to a 12-0 victory this evening in Game 3 of the 2011 Little East Baseball Championship Tournament at the Eastern Baseball Stadium in Mansfield, Conn. The Owls earned just their fourth shutout in conference tournament history, and second against the Corsairs.
Keene State (28-12) will advance to face fifth-seeded University of Southern Maine (22-17) tomorrow evening at 7 p.m., while UMass Dartmouth (15-22) will square off against sixth-seeded Rhode Island College (18-18) earlier in the afternoon at approximately 3:30 p.m.
"We were able to get some early runs on a couple of timely hits and Thiesing gave us a great start," said KSC Coach Ken Howe. "It's a nice start. Hopefully we can continue to play well."
Thiesing turned in his strongest performance of the season, limiting the Corsairs to just three hits and a walk over six innings. The South Grafton, MA native struck out seven of the first 11 batters he retired in order before scattering a single. Unfazed, Thiesing set down four of the next five hitters to cruise into the sixth. UMass Dartmouth began to solve the right-hander in his final frame, but Thiesing punched out his final two hitters to work out of a bases-loaded jam.
"I was able to locate my fast ball all night," said Theiesing. "I was glad I was able to go deep in the game and give the team a good effort. In the first game of a tournament you don't want to use up your bullpen."
Keene State gave Thiesing all the run support he would need in the first inning as junior first baseman Larry Longo (Londonderry, NH) lifted a sacrifice fly to centerfield to drive in sophomore designated hitter Greg Bates (Salem, NH). Bates continued to figure in the offensive attack the following inning, when he laced a two-run scoring, single into right field. Senior right fielder Bobby Doyon (Keene, N.H.) and junior left fielder Erik Bergstrom (Enfield, CT) each knocked in a run to cap the four-run second and give the Owls a 5-0 advantage.
Keene State would add an insurance run in the top of the fourth before breaking the contest wide-open in the top of the ninth with a six-run surge.
The top four hitters in the Owls' lineup accounted for nine of the team's 12 hits. Bates paced the offensive attack with a 3-for-5 showing and recorded three RBI, while Bergstrom also posted a 3-for-5 performance with two runs driven in. DiPrato reached base safely in each of his five accredited at-bats with two hits and three walks.
Senior catcher Matt Ryan (Uxbridge, MA) was the lone Corsair to register multiple hits with a 2-for-4 outing at the dish. Senior Brian Pedrotti (Dalton, MA) took the loss for UMass Dartmouth, allowing three earned runs on eight hits over the course of eight innings.
Keene State and UMass Dartmouth split the season-series in North Dartmouth, Mass. on April 9. The Owls defeated their hosts 9-7 in the opener, while the Corsairs edged their visitors 2-0 in extra innings.
