Auburndale, Florida 3/14/12 – In a key regional matchup, the Keene State College baseball team fell to the No. 17 ranked Wheaton College Lyons, 3-2 on Wednesday afternoon in Auburndale, Florida.

Holding leads at both 1-0 and 2-1, KSC couldn't hold off the Lyons, as in the top of the ninth, Lyons outfielder Sean Ryan's (Norton, Mass.) RBI-single through the right side of the infield would give Wheaton College the 3-2 win.

"This was a great college baseball game," said KSC head coach Ken Howe. "You can't win them all."

Senior starting pitcher Jeff Pelkey (Fitzwilliam, N.H.) had another solid outing for the Owls in the no-decision, going six and a third innings, scattering eight hits and allowing just one run while striking out five Lyons batters. Pelkey's defense helped KSC get out of a couple of jams as well. "Pelkey is the best fielding pitcher we have," said Howe. "He threw a great ball game but unfortunately we just came up short."

The Owls jumped on the scoreboard first, with an RBI single through the right side of the infield from senior captain Erik Bergstrom (Enfield, Conn.), scoring lead-off man Greg Bates (Salem, N.H.).

Wheaton third baseman Dan Haugh (Andover, Mass.) would lead off the very next inning, with his second homer of the season, to even the contest at 1-1. Still threatening in the inning with runners on second and third, junior second baseman Justin Conner (Arlington, Mass.) thought he gave the Lyons the lead, but KSC freshman outfielder Ian Seawards (Dover, N.H.) made a diving catch to end the threat.

In the bottom of the sixth, senior first baseman Larry Longo (Londonderry, N.H.) gave the Owls a 2-1 lead with an RBI-groundout scoring Bergstrom.

The Lyons answered back in the top of the eighth, as Haugh continued to hit the ball well, with a double to lead off the inning. After a sacrifice bunt from pinch hitter Dan Demeo (Glastonbury, Conn.) advanced Haugh to third base with only one out, senior catcher Dan Gusovsky (Andover, Mass.) ripped a ground-rule double to even the contest at 2-2.

Keene State in their last ups, had runners on first and second with only one out, but sophomore closer Ryan Grant (Easton, Mass.) was able to shut down the Owls and end the game with back-to-back strikeouts.

"They capitalized when they had their chances and we didn't," said Howe.

Seawards and Bergstrom each finished with 2-for-4 efforts on game for the Owls, while Haugh, Ryan, Gusovsky and Apolinar De la Cruz (Providence, R.I.) each had two-hit games for Wheaton.

Pelkey and Wheaton starter Nolan Corr (Somersworth, N.H.), had squared off before, on May 2nd, 2010, at Owl Athletic Complex, when the Owls topped the Lyons 7-5.

Corr went three innings allowing one run before being pulled for junior Corey Laliberte (Fall River, Mass.). Laliberte picked up the victory going two innings allowing only one hit and striking out two batters.

Junior reliever Tim Quagliaroli (Windsor Locks, Conn.) took the loss for the Owls out of the pen.

The Owls will return to action tomorrow, as they will face regional rival Endicott College, at 9 a.m. at the Chain of Lakes Field Complex. "I have been proud of the way our guys have been ready for the games," said Howe. "We have to get up and be ready to play."