PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Rhode Island College recorded double-digit runs for the ninth and tenth times in their last 11 games on Saturday afternoon as they rolled to a pair of blowout wins – 19-0 in seven innings and 11-2 – over the Keene State College baseball team in both sides' Little East Conference opening doubleheader at Pontarelli Field.

Records

• Keene State:  1-12, 0-2 LEC
• Rhode Island College:  9-4-1, 2-0 LEC

How It Happened – Game One
The Owls were held to one hit by Andrew Sears, a single by Michael Montembeault with two outs in the sixth, as the Anchormen cruised behind seven doubles a pair of seven-run innings.  Rhode Island College finished with 20 hits overall, with four different players recording at least three.  Daniel Trzepacz finished 4-for-4 with a walk, an RBI, and four runs scored, while Joey Coro drove in four runs and Lucas Pierce five.  No. 8 hitter Sean Helfrich plated three as the Owls had very few answers for the RIC offense right away, falling behind 3-0 in the first inning on Coro's two-run double and Pierce's sacrifice fly to left.  KSC had a flickering chance to get back into the game over the next two innings, as they put two on in the second when Malik Pearson was hit by a pitch and Liam Conley walked, but both were stranded with a ground out.  Wyatt Daft worked a walk and stole second to start the third in a 3-0 game, but he was left at third.  The roof caved in for the Owls in the very next half inning as Rhode Island College scored five times before KSC got an out, including two-run hits for Coro and Pierce and an RBI triple for Jeren Pimentel, the 11th three-bagger surrendered by the Owls in 12 games on the season.  The deficit ballooned to 10-0 by the end of the third, and the Anchormen wound up scoring in their final four offensive innings, including another seven-run frame in the sixth.  Fourteen of their 19 runs and 13 of their 20 hits came in the third and sixth innings.  Keene State was held without an extra-base hit for the second time this season.

Sears (3-1) allowed one hit, two walks, and struck out five while pitching all seven innings to get the win.  Brendan Muhs (0-2) took the loss for KSC, allowing ten runs in three innings.  He walked two and struck out two.

How It Happened – Game Two
The Owls kept the Anchormen in check with three scoreless innings from Josh Beayon and took the lead in the top of the fourth on Trent Mayer's two out single, but RIC immediately answered with four in their half of the inning and then put the game away with a six-run sixth.  The Owls actually outhit the Anchormen 10-9 in the game as the top eight in KSC's lineup each recorded one, but walked eight, hit two batters, and threw a wild pitch as 10 Anchormen reached base without getting a hit.  After neither team got much going in the opening three innings, a two-out uprising in the fourth gave the Owls a 1-0 lead as Brendan Eaton, Montembeault, and Mayer notched consecutive singles.  However, a walk ignited a Rhode Island College rally in the bottom half of the inning that saw them score four times, three with two outs.  The Anchormen loaded the bases with nobody out and tied the game on a one-out bases loaded walk to Helfrich, chasing Beayon, but it seemed the Owls might escape after reliever Gregory Esposito whiffed Alex Martinez for the second out.  That was not the case, as Izaiah Rivera and Cameron Santerre each followed with singles, plating three for a 4-1 lead.

Keene State had an opportunity to hit back in the top of the fifth when Mike Collins started the inning with a hit, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt, and scored on Daft's ground ball up the middle to make it 4-2.  Junior Santos and Joe Barter then followed with hits of their own as the tying run moved into scoring position, but a double play abruptly ended the inning.  Still down two, Conley found the left center gap for a two-out double in the sixth, but he was also stranded.

The game got away from the Owls in a big way in the bottom of the sixth, as Rhode Island College scored six times on three hits to make it 10-2.  The big blow was a Cal Parrillo three-run double, but KSC's pitching staff walked four in the inning, three of which scored.  Meanwhile, Rhode Island College's staff – despite allowing 10 hits – did not walk anybody and struck out 10, five of which came in the final three innings.

Beayon (0-2) was charged the loss after allowing two runs and four hits in 3.1 innings.  He walked two and struck out two.

RIC starter Terry Murray (2-0) got the win, allowing nine hits and two runs over seven innings with six whiffs.

Around the Horn

• KSC had not played in Providence since 2017, a doubleheader split that included a 10-run win.  The Owls lead the all-time series 32-22 but have lost four straight while surrendering double-digit runs in every game.
• Montembeault has recorded a hit in seven of 10 games this season, including in five of the past six.  Conley has a hit in three of his past five contests, including a double, home run, and six RBI over that span since March 17.
• The Owls had 11 hits - 10 singles - on the afternoon.
• Keene State has allowed double-digit runs seven times this season.

Up Next

• The Owls are tentatively scheduled to take on New England College (5-7) in their home opener on Tuesday, March 29 with a 3:00 p.m. first pitch.  Continue to check keeneowls.com or Twitter (@KeeneStateOwls) for spring schedule updates.
• Rhode Island College remains home to host Johnson & Wales University (R.I.) (2-10) on the same day at 3:30 p.m.