Box Score AUBURNDALE, Fla. – The Keene State College baseball team took an 8-0 lead early in the game, and defeated regional rival Endicott College 8-5, on Thursday morning in Auburndale, Florida. Freshman shortstop Tanner Chase (York, Maine) led the way for the Owls with a 3-for-5 game while driving in three runs.
Chris Crutcher (Londonderry, N.H.) went five and two-thirds innings to earn the victory for Keene State. Crutcher allowed four runs on seven hits in his second victory of the season. "I owe this one to my teammates," said Crutcher. "They got me an early lead and I just kept battling."
"Chris didn't have his best stuff today," said KSC head coach Ken Howe. "But he battled for us and I told him you are not always going to have your best stuff so I am happy he went out there and gave us a chance to win."
Kyle O'Brien (Springfield, N.H.) pitched the final three and a third innings, allowing just the one run and two base knocks for his first career save.
The Owls (7-4) came out of the gate swinging and scored four runs in the top of the first. Third baseman Greg Bates (Salem, N.H.), who scored twice on the day, opened the game with a single and came around to score on a double by right fielder Erik Bergstrom (Enfield, Conn.). The Owls then loaded the bases and Nick Vita (Spofford, N.H.) drew an RBI walk to double their advantage. With two outs, shortstop Chase singled home two more runs to open the gap to 4-0 in favor of the Owls.
Bates singled again in the second inning then scored via the benefit of two wild pitches. Keene State added to their lead in the fourth inning with three runs on five of their fourteen hits in the game. Vita and Chase each picked up another RBI with a single, while designated hitter Peter Burgio (Bolton, Conn.) doubled home Kyle Morrill (Auburn, N.H.), who had led off the inning with a single and then stole second and third base.
Tad Gold (Martha's Vineyard, Mass.) smacked a three-run homer in the fifth inning, in which the Gulls got four runs to cut the Keene State deficit in half. The Gulls got a single run back in the eighth on a double by Michael Russo (Natick, Mass.) and a sacrifice fly by Kyle Kromberg (Newtown, Conn.), but could not complete the comeback.
Chase, Morrill and Burgio all had 3-for-5 days to lead Keene State.
For the Gulls, Gold was 2-3 on the afternoon and Martinez went 2-4, the only hitters with multiple hit days for Endicott.
Endicott starter Michael Griffin (Arlington, Mass.) lasted just one inning, allowing five runs on six hits with two walks and a strikeout. Andrew Millard (New Milford, Conn.) pitched two and two-thirds of scoreless relief for Endicott, collecting three strikeouts.
Keene State will continue their trip in Florida with a 3:30 pm game tomorrow against St. Joseph's College of Maine.
