FORT MYERS, Fla. - Freshman Olivia Albert made her first career home run a memorable one, as her blast with two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning helped the Keene State College softball team come from behind to beat Crown College (Minn.) 4-3 in Sunday's second game at the CenturyLink Sports Complex.  KSC fell to SUNY Brockport 4-2 in the first game despite outhitting the Golden Eagles 7-6.

Records

• Keene State:  1-4
• Brockport:  6-2
• Crown:  6-6

How It Happened - Brockport

The Golden Eagles scored twice in the second and made it 3-0 in the fifth before holding off the Owls late.  KSC plated one in both the sixth and seventh innings, but could not complete a comeback as Brockport won their fifth straight.  Lauren Rousseau had a pair of hits and walked for Keene State's offense, while Emma Pede (2-4, R) also had a multi-hit effort.

Full statistics and play-by-play were not yet available at the time of release.

How It Happened - Crown

In their third meeting in three days, Keene State had to come from behind to beat the Storm thanks to a strong starting effort in the circle and later a walk-off home run from Albert, who connected with two outs in the seventh for her first - and the team's first - home run of the season to provide the Owls a 4-3 win.  Crown, who posted victories Friday and Saturday over KSC, broke a scoreless game with a three-run fifth that was highlighted by pinch-hitter Maddie Noble's two-run double.  Two of the three runs the Owls allowed in the frame were unearned, but Keene State had a quick response in their half of the inning, as Pede's one-out single sandwiched a pair of walks, loading the bases.  Alexis Blanchette cashed in, driving home two to make it 3-2.  KSC had a chance for more, loading the bases with two down after Albert was hit by a pitch, but a fly ball to center helped the Storm keep the lead, at least for the moment.  Alyssa Bartlett worked around a pair of hits in the top of the sixth to keep it a one-run game, and Cassie Woods began KSC's half of the frame by singling to center to put the tying run on base.  A bunt single with one out by Emily White put Woods in scoring position, and she scored after Crown starter Olivia Christopherson's error on Pede's comebacker.

Even at three, Bartlett got a pair of big outs in the top of the seventh after Crown got the go-ahead run to third base on a miscue and later a single.  Two-hitter Zoe Roberts fouled out to Rousseau behind the plate and the next better, Liz Kemp, who had four hits total in the first two head-to-head meetings, bounced back to Bartlett.  After a pair of quick outs in the bottom of the seventh seemingly had the game headed toward extra innings, Albert changed that, as she started the game in the circle and then ended it at the plate, taking Christopherson deep to center - the first home run she had allowed in 27.2 innings this season - to put the Owls in the win column for the first time in 2020.

Bartlett (1-0) pitched the final two innings, allowing three hits and no runs while picking up the win after Albert went the first five and allowed three hits and three runs (one earned) while striking out two.  Christopherson allowed season-highs of four runs (three earned) and nine hits over 6.2 innings to fall to 3-1 on the season.  She had allowed just two runs over her first 21 innings this year.

Around the Horn

• Meghan Moran is off to a 6-for-10 start to the season with a pair of runs batted in.
• The Owls and Golden Eagles had matched up just once previously, a 10-1 KSC win in 2002.

Up Next

• Keene State and Brockport will play a pair of doubleheaders over the next two days.  Monday's (March 16) will begin at 11:00 am.
• Crown's Florida trip is over and they have suspended all athletic contests until at least April 14.