Box Score

MANSFIELD, Conn. - The Keene State baseball team is in a stretch of seven games in five days as the Owls were unable to put the ball into play in a seven-inning loss to 16^th ranked LEC foe Eastern Connecticut State University from the Mansfield Athletic Complex on Friday evening. The Owls drop their second straight LEC matchup and fall to Eastern for the third time this season. The Warriors were led by their RF Jason Claiborn, who went 3-3 in the contest collecting two RBIs and scoring two runs for ECSU. Claiborn did collected a double in the contest as well in the eventual 11-0 win for the Warriors. 
 
Records

• Keene State: 3-15 (2-9 LEC)
• No. 17 Eastern Connecticut: 27-4 (13-1 LEC)

How it Happened
Keene State was unable to find their offensive game at any point in the contest as inning by inning they were shut down by Warriors starter Josh Vincent. ECSU started their early and often scoring when Jason Clairborn led off the first inning with a double. Luke Broadhurst would bring in two runs on a single to get the Warriors off and running to an early 2-0 lead. Keene State starter Andrew Corley would get the next two outs on a ground ball and a line out to the infield to hold off the Warrior hot bats. Keene would get their first running aboard in the top half of the second inning when Joe Barter took a five-pitch walk. KSC was unable to take advantage of Barter on second with two out as Keene State would line out to second base to end the inning. 
 
The Warriors relentless attack would continue in the second inning as Eastern Connecticut added two more runs. Matt Malcom took a 2-0 pitch and singled to left field, followed by two more singles, one by Jason Claiborn who gave the Warriors those two runs in the second inning to give ECSU the 4-0 lead. Vincent continued his dominance of the Owls striking out four Owls in a row and five in seven batters over the span of two innings. The Warriors drew two more runs in both the third and fourth innings, grabbing eight runs in four innings to take an 8-0 lead over KSC.
 
The Owls were sat down in order in both the top half of the fifth and top half of the sixth, unable to get anything going on the afternoon into the evening. Josh Vincent went the first five innings for the Warriors not allowing a hit, while striking out ten Owls. ECSU took final control of the game in the bottom half of the sixth when the Warriors scored their final three runs of the game. ECSU sent all nine of their players in the lineup to the plate. Chris Malcom sent a double to left field to knock in an RBI with Preston Irby getting the final RBI of the game for Eastern to put the game virtually out of reach for KSC. KSC was unable to threaten much in the top of the 7^th inning to keep the game going. Dominic Fanizzi was able to force a walk, but he was cut down on a fielder's choice which happened to be the final two outs of the game as the Owls bounced out twice to close out the game, ending the game with no hits. 
 
Starter Andrew Corley (0-1) lasted 3.1 innings for the Owls giving up seven hits and eight runs (seven earned) while walking three in the game. The Owls relief pitching gave up eight hits to the Warriors, while giving up three runs and struck out just one Warriors batter. ECSU saw their starter go five full innings without giving up a hit or a run, while walking two and striking out ten. The Warriors bullpen finished the final two innings without giving up a hit, walking one and striking out two. 
 
Around the Horn

• Eastern Connecticut continues to be a struggle for the Owls as they dropped all three to ECSU this season, losing by a combined score of 45-3. The Owls only runs came back on April 13 at the Owl Athletic Complex in a 19-3 loss. KSC is just 2-16 in the last 18 matchups with Eastern Connecticut. 
• Keene State fails to score at least one run in a game for the second time this season with both shutouts coming at the Mansfield Athletic Complex at the hands of the Eastern Connecticut State Warriors. KSC has yet to shutout a team this season. 
• With the win, Eastern Connecticut clinches their 13^th regular season title and will be the number one seed in the upcoming Little East Conference Tournament. 

Up Next

• KSC will return home for their next four games as they will take on Rhode Island College on Saturday, May 8 and UMass-Boston on Sunday, May 9 before closing out the regular season by traveling to Western Connecticut State on Monday, May 10 in a stretch of seven games in five days for the Owls. 
• Eastern Connecticut will travel for a pair of games tomorrow afternoon as they take on UMass-Boston from Monan Park. First pitch is set for 12:30 pm.