LITTLE RIVER, S.C. – Playing their ninth and tenth games in a five-day span at the Fastpitch Dreams Spring Classic, the Keene State College softball team came out firing, scoring nine runs in the opening two innings of a 9-1 drubbing of Lycoming College in the first of two games on Friday, the final day of their trip to South Carolina.  The Owls were limited to four hits and fell to Division II Mansfield University (Pa.) 2-1 in the day's second contest.

Records

• Keene State:  8-2
• Lycoming:  3-5
• Mansfield:  4-6

How It Happened – Lycoming
The Owls posted their fourth run-rule shortened victory of the trip by drilling the Warriors early with an eight-run second inning.  KSC took a 1-0 lead in the first when Bella Seaborn-Coates singled home Faith Barbieri with two down in the inning, but what followed was an avalanche of scoring in a seven-hit second frame.  Lycoming was not helped by their defense, which made a pair of errors in the early-going to aid the Owls in going in front 2-0.  The Owls blew the game wide open rapidly thereafter, smoking six singles in a seven-batter span – five with two outs – to in front 9-0 through two.  Megan Blanchette had two hits in the inning, including one of the run-scoring singles in addition to her hit that kicked off the uprising.  Coates tacked on a two-run poke to left center that made it a 5-0 game, while Molly Murray, Mia Ferry, Lilah Demmy, and Liv Whittier also had run-scoring hits in the inning.  Coates three runs batted in the game increased her team-leading total to 14.  She finished 3-for-3 and scored a run.  Blanchette also had three hits in three at bats, adding a double, an RBI, and two runs scored.  Seven different Owls drove in a run overall as KSC finished with double-digit hits in a game as a team for the seventh time on the season.

The offensive showcase was more than enough in support of Demmy (4-1) in the circle, who allowed just one run and three hits in five innings while striking out four.  At the time Keene State was up 9-0, Lycoming had sent just six batters to the plate because the Owl first-year pitcher had retired the first six in a row, which later stretched to 11 before Warriors notched their first hit with two outs in the fourth on Morgan Wetzel's double.  Morgan Klosko followed with a single that got Lycoming on the scoreboard, but that was basically the extent of their offense on the day.

Angie King (0-2) allowed nine runs (one earned) and nine hits in the circle to take the loss for the Warriors.

How It Happened – Mansfield
For as hot as KSC's offense might have been in the opener, it was mostly dormant in their final game in South Carolina as the Division II Mountaineers took a pitchers' duel between Alexis Easling and the Owls' Carissa Miller.  Keene State finished with four hits, never getting more than one in an inning, and did not crack the scoreboard until the bottom of the seventh when CC Chadwick's single was misplayed by the leftfielder into a run.  It also moved her into scoring position with two outs representing the tying run, but a bouncer to short got Mansfield out of trouble and into the win column for the fourth time in ten tries in 2022.  Easling (2-3) got the win in the circle, allowing only an unearned run and four hits while striking out eight in seven innings.  She issued three free passes, but never more than one in an inning and faced multiple runners on base at the same time just once – in the bottom of the second with two outs.  That was also the only frame in which KSC got the leadoff hitter on base, as Ferry singled to right but only moved to second thanks to a two-out free pass.

After a scoreless three full innings, Mansfield posted what proved to be the game-deciding runs in the fourth, an frame that started with the Owls issuing a walk to leadoff hitter Lacey O'Donnell.  She was sacrificed over on a bunt before scoring when Easling helped her own cause with a double at the plate for a 1-0 lead.  Two batters later, Natalie Blackstone cracked a two-out single down the right field line to put double Mansfield's advantage through four.

CC Chadwick connected for a two-bagger with one out in the fifth to mark Keene State's first runner in scoring position with less than two outs in the game, but she was left on base after a sacrifice bunt and Miller's line out to second.

Easling (2-3) fanned the 3-4-5 hitters in the Owl lineup in the sixth as she appeared to be getting stronger in a 2-0 game, one in which she needed only 42 pitches to get 21 outs. 
Not to be outdone, Miller (4-1) was right there for the Owls in the circle, allowing two runs and six hits in her seven innings.  The Owl newcomer walked three and struck out five.  It seemed she might have provided a huge lift to her team by stranding the bases loaded and keeping Mansfield scoreless in the fifth of a 2-0 game after they threatened with one out, but the Owls just did not have many answers for Easling.

Chadwick finished 2-for-3 with a double and drove in KSC's lone run.  Ferry also went 2-for-3, but nobody else got a hit.  The Owls are now 7-for-47 (.149) at the plate in their two losses, but .388 otherwise.

Around the Horn

• Keene State hit .346 as a team during their trip, pitched to a 1.92 earned run average, and outscored their opponents 70-22.
• Mansfield marked the fourth consecutive game against a first-time opponent for the Owls (2-2).
• Demmy has a 1.08 ERA (six appearnaces/three starts) and Miller a 1.68 ERA through five appearances as the Owls have pitched to a team ERA of 1.92
• 37 of KSC's 58 RBI have been provided by first-year players, who were getting their initial collegiate experience on the trip. 

Up Next

• The Owls return to Keene and will venture to face Western New England University (5-6) on Wednesday, March 23 at 3:00 p.m.
• Mansfield travels to Goldey-Beacom College on March 27 (Sunday, 12:00 p.m./2:00 p.m.)
• Lycoming returns to Williamsport, Pa. to host Alfred University on Tuesday, March 22 at 3:00 and 5:00 p.m.