Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

PLYMOUTH, N.H. – Two five-run innings and one three-run frame helped Plymouth State University sweep the Keene State College softball team 9-4 and 6-5 in a season-opening doubleheader Saturday afternoon at D&M Park.

Records

• Keene State:  0-2, 0-2 LEC
• Plymouth State:  2-4, 2-2 LEC

How It Happened – Game One
Keene State struck first in the opener and then rebounded after Plymouth scored three in the first to take a 4-3 lead with single runs in the second, third, and fourth innings, but a five-run fifth that saw the first six Panthers reach safely proved to be the difference as PSU pulled away to a 9-4 win.  Sara Cote was 3-for-4 with two runs and a first inning triple that helped set the stage for KSC to take an early lead.  The 7-8-9 batters in the Owl order combined to go 3-for-7 with a walk and two runs, with Hannah Loftes reaching twice, but Plymouth starter Caitlyn Miller overall kept Keene State in check, tossing a complete game while allowing seven hits, four runs (one earned) and one walk while striking out four.  The outing marked a rebound from two appearances against Eastern Connecticut State University that saw her allow 15 runs in nine innings.

The Owls clawed back from a 3-1 deficit after one inning, tying the game on Olivia Albert's grounder to first in the third before taking a one-run edge for the second time in the fourth after Loftes singled with two down on the fourth and scored following a wild pitch and an error.

In the circle, Albert seemed to settle down after the first inning, mostly breezing through the Panthers over the next three frames, including a 1-2-3 fourth.  However, a major speed bump came in the fifth when the Owls saw themselves go from up one to down three before getting the first out.  Madison Harris tied the game with a single with the go-ahead run coming across on an error to make it 5-4.  Emily Picard followed with a two-run homer to make it a three-run game.

Trailing 8-4, a single by Kate Fisher and free pass to Loftes put two on with two down in the sixth as KSC looked to get back in the game, but a grounder to second ended the threat and the Owls went down in order in the seventh.

Albert (0-1) walked two and struck out four in the first appearance of her sophomore season.  She had a 3.55 ERA a year ago in the abbreviated season and, at the plate, hit a walk-off home run against Crown College on March 15.

How It Happened – Game Two
It was a rough first inning for Keene State in the nightcap, as after being sent down in order on three strikeouts in the top of the first, Plymouth put up another five-run, seven-hit inning to take control right away and that proved to be enough despite the Owls' comeback bid.  Consecutive doubles from Harris and Picard pushed the Panthers in front 2-0, and they added on three more after that, including run-scoring base hits from Kacie Johnston and Lauren Archambault.  Plymouth had seven hits in the first inning and then just two more in the game after that, as Megan Blanchette entered in relief and kept them at bay.  In fact, PSU had 22 hits on the day in the doubleheader – 14 of which came in two innings.

The Owls chipped away, plating a pair in the fourth to get within 5-2 after Faith Barbieri singled and stole second before scoring on a triple by Meghan Moran.  Albert followed with a grounder to short that brought Moran home.  Plymouth added on what ended up being an important run in the fifth when Mina Shaw – a pinch runner for Picard who led off the inning with a walk – scored on a passed ball.  A big two-out rally in the next half inning brought KSC within a run, as Albert singled to put runners on first and third and then took second to put two in scoring position.  Sophomore Grace Hallett, playing in her first games as an Owl today after spending a season at the West Virginia Institute of Technology last year, came through with a two-run single to left and then scored herself when Blanchette doubled to left to make it 6-5.  After a scoreless sixth, KSC needed a run in the seventh to stay alive, but could not find it as they went down 1-2-3 against Alexis Michon (1-2), who allowed seven hits and five runs in seven innings while striking out 14.  A freshman from Montville, Conn., Michon now has 27 whiffs over her first 19.1 innings.

Blanchette covered the last 5.2 innings in the circle for the Owls, allowing two runs (one earned) and five hits.  Karissa Kenyon (0-1) started and took the loss.  KSC had six different people record hits in the second game, including Hallett's 2-for-3 showing.  Moran was 1-for-3, drove in a run, and scored twice.

Around the Horn

• Cote, a sophomore, finished the day 4-for-7 with a triple and two runs.  Overall, she has recorded a hit in six of her nine career games.
• Keene State is 39-19 against the Panthers since 1998 but has now lost seven of the past eight in the series dating back to 2017.

Up Next

• The two teams will meet again in Keene for a non-conference doubleheader that begins at 3:00 p.m. on Friday, April 9.  It will be the Owls' first games at home since April 28, 2019 when they beat Rhode Island College twice.