Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

DANBURY, Conn. – Meghan Moran and Olivia Albert combined to go 5-for-8 with four doubles and five runs batted in as the Keene State College softball team opened a non-conference doubleheader at Western Connecticut State University with a 6-3 win Wednesday afternoon at Westside Field.  The Owls dropped the second game 6-1, splitting their third consecutive twinbill.
 
Records

• Keene State:  4-16
• Western Connecticut:  6-14

How It Happened – Game One
The top four in Keene State's lineup combined for seven of the Owls' 10 hits and KSC's five runs between the third and fourth innings stood up in a 6-3 win.  This past Sunday, Keene State also built a 5-0 lead in an eventual 5-1 victory, but the similarities do not stop there, either, as the teams have now split seven consecutive doubleheaders.  In the last five, KSC has won the first game before WestConn took the second.  Meghan Moran put up her third three-hit game since April 22 and fifth multiple-hit game since April 19, finishing 3-for-4 with two doubles and three RBI.  Olivia Albert also doubled twice and finished 2-for-4 with two runs batted in while also getting the win in the circle, going five innings while allowing three earned runs.  She struck out two.
 
After a scoreless opening two innings, KSC put up three two-out runs in the third to jump in front.  Sara Cote singled with one out and stole second after a fly out before scoring on Moran's double.  The next batter Albert switched places with Moran and made it 2-0, forcing a pitching change after Ivy Santos lasted just 2.2 innings.  Gianna Zanchelli tacked on another run, driving in her first run of the season with a single off Kaitlyn Dean.
 
Albert worked around a one-out double in the bottom half of the inning by retiring the other three batters, and the Owls took command by scoring two more two-out runs in the fourth when the hot-hitting Moran singled home Kylie Frank and Cote to make it 5-0.
 
WestConn tried to make things interesting, scoring three runs of their own after two were out in the fifth on singles by Charline Plasczynski and Alyssa Lionetti, getting within 5-3, but the Albert and Moran duo immediately answered in the next half inning with consecutive two-baggers to make it 6-3.  Keene State had to work out of trouble again in the sixth, however, as despite Western Connecticut getting only one hit, they actually brought the go-ahead run to the plate, but Megan Blanchette struck out Hailey Golembiewski and got Rachel Ushka to pop out to her to keep the score right there.  A pair of walks in the seventh had the tying run at the plate for WCSU, but a fly ball and pop up turned double play when Plasczynski was too far off second wrapped up KSC's win.
 
How It Happened – Game Two
Unfortunately for the Owls, they could not carry over the momentum in the second contest for the third straight doubleheader, as Golembiewski and Lauren Wilcox held KSC hitless.  They did walk six, including three to start innings, but that did not bite them at all on the scoreboard until the seventh when they issued four free passes with a 6-0 lead.  Keene State did load the bases in that inning, but a catch by Western left fielder Jenna Houlahan against the fence in foul territory helped the home team prevent the Owls from getting any closer than 6-1.
 
WestConn played from ahead in the nightcap, going ahead 3-0 in the bottom of the first inning.  The only ball to the outfield in that frame was Annie Rosa's two-run double down the right field line.  She played a little small ball a few innings later, squeezing home Rachel Mirel to make it 4-0 in the third.
 
That would be more than enough for WCSU's pitching on the evening, as just days after allowing five runs and nine hits in six innings (while striking out nine) in a loss to the Owls, Golembiewski (4-4) allowed only a pair of walks while whiffing two.  Erin Keeley doubled twice out of the eight spot of WestConn's order while Rosa was 1-for-2 and drove in three runs.
 
Alexis Blanchette pitched all six innings and took the loss, falling to 2-5 after allowing six runs (three earned) and six hits.
 
Around the Horn

• Keene State leads the all-time series 36-31-1 but are just 8-12 against WestConn since 2013.
• Alexis Blanchette currently has a 3.59 ERA in 50.2 innings this season.  She has allowed three earned runs or fewer in six of her past seven outings.

Up Next

• Keene State plays their non-conference pair of games at Rhode Island College (4-15, 1-9 LEC) on Friday, April 30 at 3:00 p.m.  The league games come the next day in Keene.  KSC (3-7 LEC) is currently essentially tied with Western Connecticut (4-8) and UMass-Boston (2-6) for the sixth and final playoff spot, with percentage points the only thing separating the teams.
• WestConn remains home for two LEC contests against Plymouth State University (11-7, 6-2 LEC) on Saturday, May 1 (1:30 p.m.).