Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 CLERMONT, Fla.--The Keene State College softball team fell on the opening day of the season, with an 8-0 loss to No. 9 Luther College (Iowa) and a 9-1 setback to No. 1 Tufts University on Sunday.
The Owls fall to 0-2.
Luther College
The Norse jumped on top of the Owls with a six run first inning. Kelsey Rose tripled in the first run of the game, and Alise Miller and Kristen Winter each had two RBI during the frame.
The Owls had a chance to cut down on the deficit in the bottom half, as Stephanie Long led off with a single to second base and took second on Jennifer Galavotti's single to left. Both runners were left stranded when Caroline McSherry struck out.
Keene State managed just one more hit the rest of the way, a single to right by Shae Crosby in the bottom of the second. Luther pitchers Amanda Witzlib and Annie Versnik combined to set down the final 10 batters of the game.
Tufts University
The two-time defending national champion Jumbos broke open a 4-1 game with five runs in the sixth inning.
Tufts nearly took the lead in the first inning when Christina Raso tripled to center field, but Crosby, playing at shortstop, cut her down at the plate on a fielder's choice.
The Jumbos did score once in the second on a bases loaded walk and added three more in the third inning on a hit, sacrifice fly, and a wild pitch.
Keene State made it a 4-1 game in the top of the sixth inning when Sara Bracken hit a leadoff triple to right field and scored on a wild pitch.
Tufts responded with five in the bottom half of the inning off of KSC reliever Lindsey Musco to end the game.
Emily Bradway started and allowed just two hits in 1.2 innings of work. Mariah Crisp took the loss, giving up three runs in 3.1 innings in the circle.
Bracken had two of KSC's seven hits, while Long, Olivia Indorf, Rachel Boynton, Brittany Damota, and Heather Pelletier each had one.
KSC resumes play tomorrow morning with games against Lesley College and the University of New England.
$website.include("FBHTML")
