SPRINGFIELD, MASS. 3/28/13 - The Keene State College softball team began its New England schedule by splitting a doubleheader against Springfield College at Potter Field in Springfield on Thursday.

          Keene State (5-7) rallied for three runs in the top of the eighth inning and held on for a 4-3 victory in the first game.  The Owls lost the nightcap 5-3 in a game that was halted after five innings.  KSC had the bases loaded with two outs, but freshman Catherine Tewell (Rochester, N.H.) struck out to end the game.

          Trailing 1-0 in the opener, Keene State tied the game in the top of the fifth inning when sophomore Sarah Nichols (Sturbridge, Mass.) walked and came around on an error. KSC didn't get its first hit until the sixth inning.

          The game remained tied until the top of the eighth. With the bases loaded, senior Nicole Dupuis (Fitchburg, Mass.) delivered a clutch two-run double to give KSC a 3-1.  Senior Jessica Fiorenza (Wakefield, Mass.) followed with a RBI single to center scoring what turned out to be a key insurance run.

          The Pride (5-9) came back with two runs in the bottom of the inning.  With runners on first and second and two outs, KSC freshman pitcher Mariah Crisp (Greenland, N.H.) fanned senior Breann Joyce (Trumbull, Conn.) to end the game.

          Fiorenza had two of the Owls' three hits in the game.

          Freshman Jenna Webb (Harrison, N.Y.) went 3-4 for the Pride. \

          Crisp got the complete game win for the Owls, improving her record to 4-2.  She gave up three runs on six hits with 10 strikeouts and one walk.

          Junior Jennifer Joseph (Stamford, Conn.) took the loss for Springfield.

          Falling behind 1-0 after three innings in the second game, the Owls scored two runs in the top of the fourth to go up 2-1 on back-to-back home runs by senior Meryl Ragaini (Seymour, Conn.) and Dupuis.  It was Ragaini's third home run of the season and Dupuis' first of the year.

          The Owls lead didn't last for long.  Springfield answered with four runs in the bottom of the inning on senior Chelsea Bender's (Poughkeepsie, N.Y.) grand slam home run.

          Keene State got one run back in the top of the fifth on a RBI single by Dupuis, but left three runners stranded. 

Dupuis had two hits and two RBIs for the Owls.

          Ragaini pitched the first three innings for KSC and took the loss. She is 2-1 on the season.

          Keene State hosts SUNY-Old Westbury in its home-opening doubleheader at Owl Athletic Complex on Friday (3 p.m.).