KEENE, N.H. 3/31/12 – The Keene State College baseball team began its Little East Conference in fine fashion, sweeping at doubleheader against Western Conn. State University at Owl Athletic Complex on Saturday. Originally scheduled to be played in Danbury, the twinbill was moved to Keene due to construction on the Colonials' field. 

The Owls (12-5, 2-0 LEC), who extended their winning streak to five games, needed extra-innings to defeat Western 13-7 in the opener.  Junior John Coughlin (Litchfield, N.H.) tossed three hit ball over six innings, leading KSC to a 13-0 shutout win in the nightcap.

Keene State jumped out to an early 6-0 lead in the first game.  They went up 3-0 in the top of the first inning on RBI doubles from senior Erik Bergstrom (Enfield, Conn.) and sophomore Nick Vita (Spofford, N.H.).  

The Owls plated two more runs in the fourth with junior Greg Bates (Salem, N.H.) coming through with an RBI double down the leftfield line. 

The Colonials used the home run ball to get back in the game. Kyle Savo (West Haven, Conn.), senior Mike Yates (Guilford, Conn.) and junior Bill Eannotti (Shelton, Conn.) each hit solo shots in consecutive innings to make it 6-3.

Western took the lead in seventh.   Junior Connor Bierfeldt (Torrington, Conn.) hit a two-run home run to make it 6-5.  Senior Zach Dandrea (Wanaque, N.J.) scored the tying run on an error and freshman James Russell (Darien, Conn.) had an infield single to score the go-ahead run.

With two-outs in the ninth, Vita tied the game with a dramatic opposite field home run over the fence in right field. "The last two at bats he threw me two fast balls up and away, so basically I was looking right there.  He gave me the pitch that I wanted and I just sat back and drove it the other way," said Vita about his second home run of the season.  "I can't describe the feeling.  It felt great to get the team back into the game."

The Owls took advantage of their second life, scoring six runs in the 10th to win the game.  With the bases loaded, Bergstrom, on a 0-2 pitch, reached out and sent the ball out to right field to score two runs.  "My two bats earlier I struck out twice. They threw me away with two strikes, so I adjusted my approach and just sat back and try to drive it the other way," said Bergstrom. 

Keene State got another run on an infield error, and freshman Chuck Vogt (Windsor Locks, Conn.) cleared the bases with a three-run double on a ball that hit high off the fence in centerfield.

The Owls finished the game with 14 hits with Bates, Vogt and freshman Tanner Chase (York, Me.) each getting three hits. Western Conn. had 11 hits with Yates, Bierfeldt, and Eannotti finishing the game with two hits each. 

Senior Tim Thiesing (South Grafton, Mass.) started for the Owls, allowing three runs on seven hits in six innings with two strikeouts and a walk.  Junior Tim Quagliaroli (Windsor Locks, Conn.) pitched the finals two innings to pick-up the win (1-0). He didn't allow a hit while walking a pair. 

Freshman C.J. Sousa (Danbury, Conn.) got the start for the Colonials. He pitched into the fourth inning, giving up six runs on seven hits with a strikeout and two walks.  Sophomore Nick Vig (Monroe, Conn.) pitched well for Western until running into trouble in the 10th inning.  Vig (1-3) allowed five runs on five hits while fanning six and walking seven batters.

Coughlin was the story in the second game that was halted after seven innings.  Making just his second start of the season, the junior was in complete control, fanning five and not giving up a walk to improve his record to 2-0. "I was a little anxious at the start, but I felt I settled down and got the job done," said Coughlin, who kept the Colonials off-balance with an assortment of off-speed pitches. "It feels good to go out and get an LEC win."

In the second game, KSC took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first on RBI single by Vita. The Owls broke the game open in the middle innings, scoring five runs in the fourth and fifth innings.  Leading 3-0 in the fourth, Bergstrom came up with the bases loaded and delivered a two run single to right putting the Owls up 5-0.Burgio followed with an infield hit to make it 6-0.

Getting the start at third, freshman Eric Hewitt (Rockfall, Conn.) lined a shot up the gap in right center for a two-run triple. Bergstrom added an RBI single and senior Peter Burgio (Bolton, Conn.) capped the fifth inning with an RBI double putting the Owls up 11-0.

Keene State pounded out 16 more hits in the second game with Bergstrom, Burgio, Vita and freshman Ian Seawards (Dover, N.H.) each collecting three hits.

Sophomore Connor Nolan (Shelton, Conn.) took the loss for Western (7-11, 0-2 LEC).

Keene State hosts Amherst College on Tuesday. WCSU is at Purchase (N.Y.) College on Wednesday.