Winter Haven, Florida 3/13/12 – Taking advantage of a nine-run top of the second inning, the Keene State College baseball team cruised to a 17-7 win over Becker College on Tuesday morning at the Chain of Lakes Field Complex in eight innings.

"I have said it a million times, the season is a marathon," said KSC head coach Ken Howe. "It is early in the race right now so we just have to keep playing good ball one day at a time."

After scoring a run in the top of the first on a Peter Burgio (Bolton, Conn.) RBI single to left field, the Owls, who improved to 6-3 with the win, exploded for nine runs in the top half of the second.

The run production started as freshman shortstop Tanner Chase (York, Maine) drove in two-of-his-four runs on the day with an RBI-double to left-centerfield. "Tanner is a good freshman shortstop," said Howe. "We expect a lot out of him for the next four years."

Senior captains Kyle Morrill (Auburn, N.H.) and Erik Bergstrom (Enfield, Conn.) each collected RBI – singles, as the Owls jumped out to a 10-0 lead after two innings. "It was nice to jump out to the big lead early," said Howe. "We got solid production from our lineup at the plate and it gave some of our bench guys the opportunity to get some quality playing time."

Cruising through the first four innings on the bump, sophomore left-hander Daniel Osorio (Manchester, N.H.) gave the Owls some quality innings in his first career start. "I felt pretty good on the mound today," said Osorio, who struck out six batters. "My slider was working well but I threw a couple of innings against Aurora on Friday and I started to fatigue a bit."

"I thought Osorio came out and gave us what we needed," said Howe. "We got four solid innings out of him and he was throwing really well."

In the bottom of the fifth, Becker put up five runs of their own, cutting the KSC lead to 12-5.

Sophomore reliever Will Francis (W. Hartford, Conn.) came out of the pen and gave KSC three and third solid innings, allowing single runs in the seventh and eighth innings, while striking out four and picking up his first win of the season.

In the top of the eighth, Vinnie Mangiagli (East Hartford, Conn.), Ray Carmel (Waterford, N.Y.), and Eric Hewitt (Rockfall, Conn.) each collected RBI hits, while Matt Topper (Hudson, N.H.) drew an RBI walk, to give the Owls the 10-run lead and the 17-7 victory.

Five Keene State players racked up multiple-hits in the victory. Chase led the way with four runs driven in, while Hewitt and Bergstrom each had two RBI's apiece. Freshman Tyler Estevez (East Hartford, Conn.) led the Owls, scoring three times and also stealing a base in the victory.

Becker starter Keon Jenkins (Nashua, N.H.) went two innings allowing seven hits and 10 runs in the loss. The Hawks dropped to 1-4 on the season in the loss.

The Owls return to action tomorrow morning, with a key regional matchup, against nationally ranked Wheaton (Mass.) College at 10:30 a.m. "We have to show up ready to play," said Howe. "We are taking this season one game at a time, and tomorrow's game is Wheaton."