FARMINGDALE, N.Y. – The Keene State College baseball team allowed only five runs in 17 innings in their season-opening doubleheader at Farmingdale State University, but was ultimately nipped twice in extra innings, falling to the Rams 3-2 in nine innings and 2-1 in eight innings Saturday at the Farmingdale State Baseball Stadium.

Records

• Keene State:  0-2
• Farmingdale State:  2-2

How It Happened – Game One
The Owls got a strong relief outing from Jack Lang in his career debut and erased a 2-0 deficit with a pair of runs in the sixth on a big two-run double by Trent Mayer, but the Rams eventually got a walk-off single from Bobby Pollock in the ninth to post their first win of the season.  The top five in FSU's order had six of their seven hits in the game, with four of those coming in the third and ninth innings.  Keene State got a multi-hit game from Brendan Eaton, who went 2-for-4 after a .286 campaign against nearly all Little East competition last season, and doubles from Mayer and Michael Montembeault.  Junior Santos reached twice on a single and a walk, but KSC struck out 16 times at the plate.  Santos cracked a one-out single up the middle in the top of the ninth as the Owls searched for the lead for the first time all day, but a strike out and pick-off ended the threat quickly, and Farmingdale then ended the game quickly in their half, as Matthew Flood led off with a single and moved to second on a grounder before Pollock brought him home.

The Rams did not exactly bang the ball all over the ballpark while building their 2-0 lead, but a sacrifice fly by Tony Figliuolo in the first brought home Vincent Napolitano, who tripled in the Rams' first at bat of the day for their lone extra-base hit.  KSC limited any further damage despite a pair of walks in the frame, but had just one hit to their name at the plate offensively over the first three innings.  Farmingdale added to their lead in the bottom half of the third, going up 2-0 on Nolan White's sacrifice bunt back to Owl pitcher Gregory Esposito with the bases loaded and one out.

Quiet most of the day, Keene State generated a chance against Rams starter Joe Marino in the fifth despite not getting a hit, as Santos walked to kick off the frame before Mike Collins was plunked to put two on with one out.  However, a strikeout and grounder ended a threat.  The Owls again put two on in the sixth when base hits by Josh Beayon and Eaton put two on with one out, but this time cashed in, as Mayer plated both after they each moved up on a passed ball.  KSC had a chance to snatch the lead, as Mayer then moved up to third on a wild pitch with still just one out, but Christian Esperon got a big strikeout and then induced a bouncer to second to keep it tied 2-2.

After that, neither team generated much, as Lang held the Rams down over 3.2 scoreless innings, allowing just two hits.  Esperon got out of the sixth for Farmingdale before Stephen Clancy (1-0) took it from there, whiffing six over three one-hit innings. 

The starter Marino allowed two runs and four hits over 5.1 innings with nine strikeouts.  Josh Beayon got the start for Keene State, going two innings and allowing one run with three walks.  Patrick McKeighan (0-1) took the loss.

How It Happened – Game Two
It was still all about pitching in the second contest of the day, as Brendan Muhs and Phil Nichols mowed down the Rams over the first six innings, but the Owls could not hold on, surrendering a game-tying run in the bottom of the seventh and the game-winning run once again in walk-off fashion in the bottom of the eighth.  Barter gave KSC the lead in the top of the fourth with a solo blast, the sixth of his career after five last year, and finished 1-for-1 with three walks.  Trent Mayer went 1-for-3, notching a hit in both games, and Nathaniel Hudson doubled with one out in the fifth before stealing third, but the Owls missed out on a possible big insurance run as he was stranded there.  KSC got a runner to third in the sixth, as well, when Barter walked, swiped second, and moved to third on a fly out, but he too got no further, and it wound up biting the Owls.  Farmingdale, who had very little going on offense, got the leadoff man on in the seventh when Richard Apollo Jr. was hit by a Dean Ruzich pitch.  Danny Wolf followed with a base hit to put two on, and each moved up on a sacrifice bunt before Apollo Jr. tied the game at one on Napolitano's sacrifice fly.  KSC mustered only a two-out walk by Barter in the top of the eighth, and was then handed another tough setback in the bottom half when the Rams' only hit ended the game.  The Owls once again hit the leadoff batter of the inning with a pitch, and again it hurt them, as Pollock – who was plunked – moved up on a wild pitch before scoring on cleanup man Justin DiMartino's second hit of the game, a walk-off single to center.  The duo that helped Farmingdale to the win had entered the inning 1-for-7 with four strikeouts on the contest.

Muhs was strong in his first career start, allowing two hits and one walk over three innings while striking out four.  Nichols, a freshman, followed with a scoreless, one-hit relief outing with four strikeouts over three frames.  Will Dolaher (0-1) took the loss for the Owls.

Thomas Messina (1-0) entered in the fifth and got the win for Farmingdale, tossing the final four innings while allowing one hit and no runs.  He walked three and struck out three.  The Owls cut down on the strikeouts offensively in the second game, going down by K six times (Farmingdale eight), but totaled just nine hits in the twinbill as they suffered two one-run defeats.

Around the Horn

• Justin Blood was coaching his first career games with the Owls.  He was hired this past summer after longtime head coach Ken Howe retired following 584 career victories.
• Santos, Lang, Nichols, Liam Conley, and Eli Oliver all made their KSC debuts today.
• Muhs' start was his first appearance on the mound since March 8, 2020 at William Paterson University.
• KSC has lost four straight to Farmingdale in the series, all by one-run and two in extra innings, since an 8-2 win in Florida in 2016.

Up Next

• Keene State was scheduled to play at home against Salem State University (0-2) this Tuesday, but due to unplayable field conditions, will instead play at a place Blood is very familiar with – the University of Hartford's Fiondella Field.  First pitch is at 3:00 p.m.  The Vikings opened their season with two losses at Endicott College today, but won the MASCAC last year, going 13-10 and 5-3 in league play.
• Farmingdale, who has not played in a game that has featured more than six runs this year after falling 4-2 and 4-1 to fellow LEC foe UMass-Dartmouth earlier this week, begins their Florida Spring Break trip against Fontbonne University (2-4) on Friday, March 11 at 2:45 p.m. in Auburndale.