AUBURNDALE, Fla.--The Keene State College baseball team left 11 runners on base in a 9-5 loss to Denison University on Friday.  KSC is now 4-5, while Denison improves to 3-6.

The Owls put together an 11 hit performance, including a 3-for-5 effort from Andy Johnson with a pair of runs scored.  Nick Vita also had a pair of hits.

After Denison had taken a 1-0 lead in the first inning on Ryan Mulligan's sacrifice fly, KSC evened up the score in the top of the second inning.  Johnson singled and moved to second when Matt Boulay was hit by Denison starter Kyle Colgain.  After Johnson stole third, an error by the Denison shortstop allowed Johnson to score.

Denison went back in front in the bottom half of the second.  Lascelles Lagares doubled and scored on Nick Marsit's single, only to have the Owls respond in the next inning when Joe Libby walked, stole second, and touched the plate on Bily Hartmann's RBI single.

The Big Red took the lead for good with a four run third inning.  A walk and two hits loaded the bases with none out, and Ryan Mulligan singled in a pair of runs.  A KSC error brought in another run, and Brandon Morgan's sacrifice gave Denison a 6-2 advantage.  

Keene State pulled back two runs in the fourth inning.  Johnson led off the frame with a single and scored on Boulay's RBI double, and after Brett Dootson struck out, Libby doubled in Boulay to make it a 6-4 game. 

Denison tacked on three more runs in the bottom of the sixth.   Keene State had several opportunities to pull even, getting one run in the seventh but leaving seven runners on in the final three innings.  Brett Dootson hit a leadoff double in the seventh and moved to third on Libby's groundout to second base.  Hartmann walked, and during Hartmann's steal attempt, Dootson scrambled home to cut the lead to 9-5.  A Denison error allowed Nick Vita to reach, and a double by Andrew Gummow put runners on second and third, but the rally ended with Ian Seawards' flyout to center.

KSC put more runners on in the eighth when Boulay reached on a fielder's choice and and moved to second on Tanner Chase's single, but both were left stranded.   The Owls also had the bases loaded with one out in the ninth, but Johnson popped up to second and Boulay struck out to end the game.

"It's a tough loss," said head coach Ken Howe.  "Anytime you don't do the little things, it's difficult to beat a good team."  

Kevin Guild started the game on the mound for Keene State, pitching two innings and allowing five runs, four of which were earned.  Julian Haddad tossed 3.1 innings of relief with five strikeouts, followed by 2.2 innings of one-hit ball from John Poissant.

The Owls conclude the trip with a game against Union (N.Y.) at 2 p.m. on Saturday.