WESTFIELD, MASS. 4/12/12 – The Keene State College softball team swept a non-conference doubleheader on the road at Westfield State University on Thursday. 

Ranked eighth in New England, Keene State (12-4) rallied for five runs in the top of the seventh inning to win the first game 7-3.  Junior Kayla Joyce's (Bridgewater, Mass.) RBI double in the fifth inning broke a 1-1 tie and lifted the KSC Owls to a 2-1 victory in the second game. 

Trailing 2-0 in the opener, Keene State got one run back in the top of the second on Joyce's first home run of the season, a towering shot over the fence in left field.  "I've been really anxious at the plate, so it felt good to hit the home run," said Joyce. 

KSC tied the game in sixth when senior Laura Chandler (Wakefield, Mass.) opened the inning with a single and came home on junior Nicole Dupuis'(Fitchburg, Mass.) sacrifice fly. 

Keene State's five-run seventh inning featured a two-run single up the middle by senior Sara Stocklinski (Newton, N.J.) and a double to center by junior Jessica Fiorenza (Wakefield, Mass.) that brought in two runs. Fiorenza had two of the Owls' nine hits in the game.

"We were hitting the ball all game," said KSC Coach Charlie Beach. "In that inning we were able to find some holes in their defense."  

Stocklinski got the complete game win for the Owls to improve her record to 5-1.  She gave up three run on nine hits, tying her career high with 11 strikeouts while walking two.

Keene State also had to come-from-behind to win the second game.  Falling behind 1-0, KSC tied the game in the top of the third inning on senior Haley Chandler's (Wakefield, Mass.) team-leading fifth home run of the season.

With one out in the fifth, senior Laura Chandler (Wakefield, Mass.) walked and moved to third on a single by Dupuis.  Joyce stepped to the plate and lined a double to right field to score the go-ahead run.  "She stayed back and just hit a rocket over the right fielder's head," said Beach. 

Joyce and Dupuis each finished the game with two hits.

Senior Emily Albin (Bethel, Conn.), who pitched out of several tough jams throughout the game, picked up the win to improve her record to 4-2.  She allowed one run on six hits while fanning eight and not issuing a walk.

Westfield State is 9-14.

Keene State returns home for a busy weekend that includes doubleheaders against Western Conn. on Saturday (1 p.m.) and Williams on Sunday (12 p.m.).   "This is just a warm-up for this weekend,' said Beach.  "Western Conn and Williams will be a tough dose."