KEENE, N.H.  3/29/12 – Playing its first home games of the season, the Keene State College softball team posted a pair of shutout wins, 18-0 and 8-0 over Fitchburg State University at chilly Owl Athletic Complex on Thursday afternoon.  Both games were stopped due to the eight-run rule. 

             Keene State collected 15 hits and senior Emily Albin (Bethel Conn.) pitched a five inning no-hitter in the 18-0 opening game victory.  The Owls (9-1), who extended their winning streak to nine games, scored their 18 runs in the first three innings. Junior Nicole Dupuis (Fitchburg, Mass.) provide the big hit in a five-run first inning, a three-run home run over the left field fence. 

            "I was watching her pattern and every first pitch was coming right down the middle and I just took advantage of it," said Dupuis about her first home run of the season. 

            A four-run second inning included a two-run double to center by junior Jessica Fiorenza (Wakefield, Mass.).  KSC scored nine more runs in the third with freshman Julia Nolan (Litchfield, N.H.), senior Laura Chandler (Wakefield, Mass.) junior Kayla Joyce (Bridgewater, Mass.), Fiorenza, freshman Samantha Nitso (Londonderry, N.H.), senior Haley Chandler (Wakefield, Mass.), and freshman Rachel Boynton (Concord, N.H.) each getting RBI hits.

            KSC leadoff hitter Haley Chandler had a productive game, finishing with two hits while scoring four runs.  Senior Katie Bradford (Lebanon, N.H.), Joyce and Fiorenza also had two hits each.

            Albin (2-1) fanned eight and issued one walk on the way to notching her first career no-hitter.  "All my pitches were working," said Albin.  "Everyone hit great today it was really helpful."

            Senior Allison Cousins (Leominster, Mass.) took the loss for the Falcons.

            Twin sisters Laura and Haley Chandler hit home runs and senior pitcher Sara Stocklinski (Newton, N.J.) tossed a six-inning one-hitter in the 8-0 second game win. It was just the second time both sisters hit home runs in the same game during their KSC careers.  The first time came during their sophomore season on April 24, 2010 when they both connected for dingers in the first game of a doubleheader against UMass-Dartmouth

            Laura Chandler gave the Owls a 1-0 lead with a line drive home run to centerfield in the bottom of the fourth inning.  "Before the start of the inning, Charlie (Coach Charlie Beach) told us to get on top of the ball and drive it as far as we can and that's what I did," said Chandler, who now has two home runs this season.

           Keene State scored three more runs in the fifth with Haley Chandler, Bradford and Dupuis contributing RBI singles.

           Haley Chandler ended the game in the sixth inning with a walk-off three run home run to center.  The ball hit the top of the fence and bounced over.  "I may have wished it over the fence a little bit," said Chandler.  "I didn't think it was going out, so I was surprised. It felt good because I've been struggling a little bit." 

          The Owls finished the game with 13 hits.  Haley Chandler had two hits and four RBIs.  Bradford, Dupuis, and Fiorenza also had two hits each in the game.

          Stocklinski improved her record to 4-0 with the win.  She struck out a season high 10 batters and gave up just one walk.

          Sophomore Katelyn Fitzgerald (Fitchburg, Mass.) got the only hit for Fitchburg State (3-13), a single to center in the fifth inning.

            Keene State begins its Little East Conference schedule on the road at Rhode Island College on Saturday.