MINEOLA, Fla.--Behind a sterling pitching performance in the opener and an offensive explosion in the nightcap, the Keene State College softball team swept a pair of games on Friday.  The Owls beat McDaniel College (Md.) 1-0 in game one and posted a 9-1 win over Hamilton College in the day's second game.

KSC has won four in a row and is now 5-3 this season.

McDaniel

Mariah Crisp was again outstanding, striking out 15 batters and scattering four hits in a complete game win.  Crisp now has 43 strikeouts and allowed one earned run in 27 innings of work this season.

KSC won their second straight 1-0 game.  The Owls pushed across the only run of the game in the bottom of the first inning.  Sara Bracken was hit by a pitch to reach with one out, and took second on Heather Pelletier's bunt single.  After Morgan Fallon popped up to third base, Anna Glassman picked up her second RBI of the season with a right field single to score Bracken.

Crisp made it standup, retiring 11 in a row from the second to fifth innings, and pitching out of trouble in the sixth.  The Green Terror put a runner 60 feet from home in the top of the sixth when Rachel Sidney reached on a bunt single and Stephanie Maring moved her to third with a single, but Crisp struck out Jaclyn Leibowitz to end the threat.  The Green Terror managed just one extra base hit against Crisp, who has allowed only one earned run and has an ERA of 0.25 this season.

Hamilton 

KSC pounded out 11 hits as the Owls recorded their first run-rule victory of the year.  Katie Newell drove in five runs, batting 2-for-2 with a double, while Aliza Guerrero and Morgan Fallon each knocked in a pair.  Fallon was also 2-for-2 with a double and three runs scores, and Guerrero also had two hits.  Stephanie Long was 3-for-4.

The Owls jumped on Hamilton starter Megan Ahern early, scoring three times in the first inning.  Long started the game with a single through the left side, and Bracken and Fallon walked to load the bases with one out.  Guerrero roped a single down the left field line to bring in Bracken and Long, chasing Ahern after just a third of an inning.  Newell stroked a single to left field off reliever Kelly Leonard to bring in Fallon for a 3-0 lead.

It was more of the same in the second inning, as the Owls again loaded the bases.  Molly Dussault start with a single and moved to second base with Kayla Votto drew a walk.  Bracken was hit by a pitch to load the bases for Fallon, who brought home two runs with a single down the left field line.  The bases remained loaded with Guerrero reached on a wild pitch, and Newell cleared them with a double to center.

KSC added another run in the fourth when Fallon doubled and scored on a sacrifice fly by Newell.  Hamilton broke up the shutout with a solo home run by Talia Mercado in the bottom of the fourth.

The offensive explosion benefitted KSC starter Ashlee McGan, who struck out a pair in four innings of work and allowed only four hits.  Kellie Saunders pitched the final inning for KSC and did not allow a hit.

The Owls conclude their spring break trip with two games on Saturday.  KSC will play defending national champion Tufts at 11 am and Concordia (Wis.) at 1 p.m.