KEENE, N.H. 4/16/13 –  The Keene State College softball team swept a Little East Conference doubleheader against UMass-Boston at Owl Athletic Complex on Tuesday.

Freshman Mariah Crisp (Greenland, N.H.) tossed a complete game three-hitter with 13 strikeouts to lead the Owls to a 3-0 win in the first game.  Freshman Stephanie Long (Salem, N.H.) had a walk-off single in the bottom of the seventh inning as KSC rallied for a 7-6 victory in the nightcap.

Keene State (14-9, 4-2 LEC) has won six of its last seven games.  UMass-Boston (10-20, 2-6 LEC) saw its five game winning streak come to an end.

Keene State scored its two runs in the bottom of the first in the opener on a RBI double by senior Jessica Fiorenza (Wakefield, Mass.) and a run-scoring single to right center by senior Nicole Dupuis (Fitchburg, Mass.)

Crisp, who fanned the sides in the fourth inning, got into trouble in the sixth inning when the Beacons loaded the bases with two outs.  But she got junior Natalia Bouyea (East Longmeadow, Mass.) looking on three straight pitchers.  "I knew there were runners on base, but I just tried to focus on the batter," said Crisp, who improves to 10-3. I felt my pitchers were working well throughout the game.  I felt loose and strong."

KSC had just three hits in the game, but made them count against UMB sophomore pitcher Michelle Zullo (Everett, Mass.).  Zullo (5-10) gave up two runs on three hits with a couple of strikeouts.

Falling behind 3-0 in the second game,  Keene State  scored four runs in the bottom of the fourth inning to take a 4-3 lead.  Junior Molly Dussault (Weare, N.H.) brought one run home with a double to fence in left field.  Freshman Heather Pelletier (Auburn, N.H.) belted a three-run home run, a line drive over the fence in left for her first college bomb of her career.  "I was very anxious when I was up to bat and I didn't know it went out until I go to third base," said Pelletier.  It was amazing to get my first home run in college."

The game was far from over.  The Beacons came back with three runs in the top of the fifth to retake the lead 6-4.  Senior Kelsey Souza (Braintree, Mass.) and junior Lyndsey Capra (Lowell, Mass.) had RBI hits with Capra later scoring on a wild pitch. 

After threatening in the fifth and sixth innings, KSC finally was able to break through in the seventh.  The Owls loaded the bases on singles by senior Meryl Ragaini (Seymour, Conn.), Dupuis, and Dussault.  Pelletier, who finished the game with two hits and five RBIs, tied the game with a two-run single down the right field line. 

After Glassman walked to load the bases again, Long stepped to the plate and line a single though the left side to score the winning run. "I was just trying to stay calm and get a base hit," said Long.  "It was a great feeling when I saw it got through. I just had to remember to run to first base.  When we came into a huddle in the bottom of the seventh, the seniors just said bear down now this is our last chance. We knew we had to get it done and everyone hit the ball hard."

Long, Ragaini, Dupuis, freshman Morgan Fallon (Reading, Mass.) and Dussault all had two hits in the game for KSC, which had 13 hits in the game.

UMB also had 13 hits with junior Erika Vecchiet (Pequannock, N.J.) and sophomore Samantha Hemstock (Northford, Conn.), each getting three hits each. 

Coming into pitch in the fifth inning, Crisp picked up her second win of the day, improving her record to 11-3.  She pitched the final 2.2 innings of three-hit ball with six strikeouts and one walk.

Freshman Emily Gray (New Bedford, Mass.) took the loss for the Beacons.

Keene State is at Southern Maine on Saturday (1 p.m.). UMass-Boston hosts Curry College on Wednesday (3:30 p.m.).

Photo Courtesy: Michelle Berthiaume