KEENE, N.H. 4/3/12 – In a key regional game for the Keene State College baseball team, senior pitcher Nick Winn (West Hartford, Conn.) gave the Owls five solid innings, as the Owls rolled to a 4-1 victory over Amherst College on Tuesday afternoon at Owl Athletic Complex.

The Lord Jeff's (10-5), who received votes in this week's ABCA national rankings and were pegged 8th in the region, fell victim to Winn's sinker, and only had four hits in the first five innings. "I felt pretty good out there," said Winn, who started for only the second time on his career. "My sinker was working really well so I just kept throwing it."

"We asked Winnie (Nick Winn) to step up and give us a spot start and he gave us five great innings," said KSC head coach Ken Howe. "We would have taken four or even three but he was able to roll through five for us in a key game."

Also pitching well for the Owls (14-5), reliever Pat Tempone (Francestown, N.H.) threw three great innings himself, scattering just two hits and striking out three batters in the sixth, seventh and eighth innings. "Tempone gave us three more great innings," said Howe. "He did what he was supposed to do and that is pounding the strike zone."

Amherst starter Hayden Metz (Ridgefield, Conn.) matched Winn through the first three innings, not allowing any runs until the Owls hit the scoreboard in the bottom of the fourth. KSC sophomore infielder Nick Vita (Spofford, N.H.) scored on Metz's wild pitch to even the score at 1-1.

Keene State's big inning was the fifth, as the Owls would tack on three runs, highlighted by junior Greg Bates' (Salem, N.H.) two-RBI double down the right field line. Senior right fielder Erik Bergstrom (Enfield, Conn.), who earned D3Baseball.com team of the week honors last week, stayed hot ripping an RBI single to the opposite field, for the 4-1 advantage.

The Lord Jeff's hit the scoreboard first, scoring an unearned run on an RBI single from sophomore shortstop Taiki Kasuga (New York, N.Y.) for the 1-0 lead in the top of the third inning.

Amherst threatened in the top of the ninth, after earning two quick outs, KSC closer Kyle O'Brien (Springfield, N.H.) allowed a walk and two hits, before striking out pinch hitter Thomas Wheeler (Minnetonka, MN). After the ball got away from catcher Matt Boulay (Stafford Springs, Conn.), Boulay quickly tracked it down and fired to first to end the game and give the Owls a key 4-1 victory.

Winn, who usually comes out of the bullpen, earned his second career victory. "The only difference for me was getting prepared for the game," said Winn. "Once I was in the game the mindset was the same."

Metz dropped to 0-5 on the season for Amherst, going four innings allowing seven hits and four runs in the losing effort.

Boulay was the only Owls hitter to collect multiple hits, going two-for-two with a run scored and a hit-by-pitch.

Alex Hero (New York, N.Y.) and Nolan Stewart (New Canaan, Conn.) each went two-for-four in the loss for the Lord Jeff's.

The Owls return to action tomorrow, as they will square off against another NESCAC foe, Williams College at 4 p.m. "This is a tough week for us," said Howe. "Lots of games in a short amount of time, everyone goes through it, now it is our turn."