MANSFIELD, CONN.  4/7/12 –  The Keene State College baseball team let one get away in the opener and hung on for a one-run victory in the second game in a wild Little East Conference doubleheader against fifth ranked Eastern Conn. State University at the Mansfield Sports Complex on Saturday.

            Leading 4-3, Keene State surrendered 10 runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to lose the first game 13-4.  The Owls came back to score the go-ahead run in the top of the eighth inning to take the nightcap 8-7.

            "The first game was a gut-wrenching loss and tough to swallow, but in the second game we found out what we are made of," said KSC Coach Ken Howe.  "The guys bounced back and did a good job in the second game. I asked them to give me nine innings and not eight and a half innings and we were able to get it done."

            Keene State, which saw its nine game winning streak come to an end in the first game, goes to 17-6 (3-1 LEC).  The split leaves Eastern at 15-5 (3-1 LEC). 

            Trailing 3-0 in the opener, KSC got two runs back in the top of the fourth inning on a RBI double from freshman Chuck Vogt (Windsor Locks, Conn) and a Warrior error. 

            The Owls tied the game in the top of the seventh on a run-scoring single to right by senior Erik Bergstrom (Enfield, Conn.).  KSC went ahead 4-3 in the eighth when Vogt walked and eventually scored on a wild pitch. 

            The wheels came off the wagon in the bottom of the frame with the Owls giving up 10 runs on nine hits.  The Warriors batted around in the inning with sophomore Danny O'Connell driving in three runs.

            Junior Greg Bates (Salem, N.H.) had three hits leading off the KSC. 

            Senior Tim Thiesing (South Grafton, Mass.) pitched the first six innings, giving up three runs on nine hits with two strikeouts and three walks.  Sophomore Pat Tempone (Francestown, N.H.), 0-1, the first of three KSC relief pitchers, took the loss.

            In the second game, Keene State scored three runs in the top of the first. Senior Kyle Morrill (Auburn, N.H.) had a RBI triple to right field and Bergstrom brought in another run with a single to center. 

            KSC added another run in the fifth on a two-out RBI single by Bergstrom to make it 4-0. 

            The Warriors scored two runs in the bottom of the fifth and three more in the sixth to take a 5-4 lead. 

            The Owls took the lead back 7-5 with three runs in the top of the seventh on back-to-back RBI doubles from Bergstrom and senior Peter Burgio (Bolton, Conn.).

            After the Warriors tied the game with two run in the bottom of the inning, KSC scored the game-winning run in the top of the eighth.  Freshman Tanner Chase (York, Me.) was hit-by-a-pitch and moved to second on an error.  He went to third on a sacrifice and came home on a sacrifice fly by Bates.

            Junior Tim Quagliaroli (Windsor Locks, Conn.) pitched the eighth and ninth innings to get the win (3-1) in relief.  He allowed just one hit while striking out two batters.  Senior Jeff Pelkey (Fitzwilliam, N.H.) started for the Owls, giving up seven runs and 11 hits with three strikeouts and three walks in his six innings on the mound. Senior Michael Hepple (Newington, Conn.) brother of KSC basketball player Jim Hepple, took the loss for ECSU.

            Bergstom and Burgio each had three hits in the game for the Owls.

            Keene State begins a busy week with a home game against rival Plymouth State on Tuesday.