Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 KEENE, N.H. – Caitlyn Miller twirled a complete-game one-hitter in the opener before Alexis Michon followed with a one-run (unearned), nine strikeout showing over six innings in the second contest as Plymouth State University ran away with a non-conference doubleheader sweep of the Keene State College softball team, winning 2-0 and 9-2 to spoil the Owls' first home action since April 28, 2019.
Records
- Keene State: 0-4
- Plymouth State: 4-4
How It Happened – Game One
The Owls got a strong showing from
Alexis Blanchette in the circle in her season debut, as she allowed only five hits, two runs (one earned), and one walk while pitching all seven innings, but the Panthers scored single runs in the sixth and seventh and that proved to be enough to eke out the victory behind Miller (2-2). Keene State's lone hit came in the bottom of the second when sophomore
Grace Hallett singled up the middle. She had four hits in 10 at bats this season after going 2-for-4 with a walk and a run today. Hallett moved into scoring position after Blanchette grounded to third, but moved up no further and proved to be one of only two Owl baserunners in the game. Trailing 2-0,
Kate Fisher reached after being plunked to lead off the bottom of the seventh inning, but she was thrown out trying to steal second and the next two Owls were sent down by way of the K as Miller polished off her outing with her fifth and sixth strikeouts.
Blanchette matched her zero for zero for most of the way despite a little more traffic on the base paths. She escaped a two-on, two-out jam in the first by getting Kacie Johnston to bounce to third and then stranded a pair in the fourth after inducing a grounder to third that helped cut down a run at the plate on a fielder's choice. Other than that, PSU was sent down in order three times themselves as it stayed 0-0 heading to the sixth. Plymouth broke the ice in that frame without the benefit of a hit, as Vanessa Bryan reached on a miscue to start the inning before scoring on a separate error when the next batter Emily Picard reached. The Panthers added an insurance tally in their half of the seventh when, after Lauren Archambault walked and Rachyl Parslow singled to center with one down, Michon slapped a hit to right with two outs to make it 2-0. That was more than enough for Miller, who needed just 76 pitches to get the complete game. Blanchette threw 74, with the two of them helping the game take just one hour and 21 minutes.
Sam McCann finished 2-for-3 with a double to lead PSU's offense in the first game. Michon had their lone RBI.
How It Happened – Game Two
Keene State was probably happy to see someone other than Miller in the circle in the nightcap, but still had to face Michon, who did allow five runs but struck out 14 when the teams met in Plymouth last Saturday. KSC trailed 5-0 when facing the Panther freshman last week but rallied before falling by a run. The Panthers gave their starter another sizable edge, scoring once in the first and two runs in both the second and third, but this time Michon (2-2) did not allow the Owls back into the game at all, allowing one unearned run and three strikeouts in her six innings. She struck out nine this time around. Hallett was 1-for-2 with a walk and a run while
Kylie Frank and
Kate Fisher (1-3, 2B, RBI) each drove in runs, but KSC was held to four hits.
Plymouth struck in the opening frame after Jen Landers was grazed by a pitch with the bases full, but Keene State starter
Olivia Albert did a nice job limiting the damage to just the one run after PSU put three on with one out. The Owls had an early chance to respond in their half of the first after
Sara Cote was hit by a pitch and later advanced to third on
Meghan Moran's infield single that Plymouth shortstop Niah Colby nicely kept on the dirt, preventing a run, but Cote was thrown out at home on an attempted first-and-third double-steal.
The Panthers took a commanding edge by scoring twice in the next two innings. Colby led off the second with a base hit before eventually scoring along with Michon, who also singled, on Bryan's two-run single that made it 3-0. In the third, a pair of hits that did not leave the infield by Landers and Lauren Archambault eventually scored when Bri Chase's sacrifice bunt attempt was thrown away, putting the Panthers in front 5-0.
Keene State chipped one run off their deficit as an answer in the bottom half, getting a bunt single from
Hannah Loftes and eventual sacrifice fly to left by Frank, but the Owls never seriously threatened Michon or the Panthers after that. Plymouth piled on four more runs in the final two innings, getting a two-run homer from McCann and a two-run double by Bryan to push their edge to 9-1.
Albert took the loss for KSC and fell to 0-2.
Around the Horn
- Blanchette was making her season debut today and had not pitched since March 15 of last year against Brockport in Florida.
- Hallett and Cote have combined to go 8-for-22 in the opening four games of the season.
- Plymouth State is 21-39 against the Owls since 1998 but has won nine of the last 10 in the series by a combined score of 57-24.
Up Next
- Keene State visits Castleton University (4-0, 2-0 LEC) tomorrow for a Little East doubleheader that begins at 2:00 p.m. The games had been slated for Sunday, but were moved up a day.
- Plymouth State will slot into that Sunday opening and host the same Spartans for a non-league doubleheader. First pitch is at 1:00 p.m.
