BOSTON, Mass. – The University of Massachusetts-Boston scored the final 14 runs of the afternoon after facing their only deficit and went on to sweep the Keene State College softball team by scores of 11-3 (six innings) and 4-0 in a Sunday Little East Conference doubleheader at the UMB Softball Field.

Records

• Keene State:  11-11, 1-3 LEC
• UMass-Boston:  13-6, 4-2 LEC

How It Happened – Game One
The Owls left a pair on in the first but broke through with doubles by Mia Ferry and Kate Fisher in the fourth to take a 3-1 lead, ending a string of eight consecutive hitters sent down by Beacons starter Emily Doble.  However, UMB went back in front in their trip to the plate in the same inning and then scored nine times between the fifth and six to go from down two to ending the game by mercy rule in six innings.  The home team got a hit from nine different people, including three out of Sarah Harlinski out of the No. 9 spot in the lineup.  Tam Landy tripled and went 2-for-3, driving in a pair.  The top four in the Beacons' order all got a hit and drove in a run.  Fisher drove in a pair of runs for KSC in a 1-for-3 effort, while Meghan Moran was 1-for-2 and walked.  Sara Cote finished 2-for-3, but the Owls overall routinely found the gloves of UMB defenders, flying out 12 times in the game (11 against Doble).

After Keene State left a pair of runners on in the first, the Beacons took a fast lead Haley Tilberry walked, moved to second on a passed ball, third on a bunt single, and scored on Sanden's sacrifice fly.  However, Lilah Demmy got out of further trouble and allowed the Owls to awaken for three runs in the fourth.  Moran walked and Ferry doubled to left to start the frame, with Moran scoring on an error on the double to tie the game at one.  Bella Seaborn-Coates followed with a single to put runners on first and third with still nobody out, eventually moving to second on an indifference.  After a strikeout for the first out, Fisher came through by going with the pitch and slashing a two-run double shot down the right field line to put the Owls in front 3-1.  Demmy then recorded a base hit to third to again put two on, with both moving into scoring position on a wild pitch, but Doble kept it a two-run game by getting Murray to sky to center.

The Beacons got one run back to make it 3-2 through four on Harlinski's infield single, but then changed the game in the fifth with a three-run rally after the first two batters were retired.  Landry gave her team the lead back with a two-run triple and then scored herself on Amauri English's infield single to third that made it 5-3.  Keene State went down in order in the sixth and then allowed six runs on five hits in the sixth to fall by mercy rule.  The only out the Owls recorded in the inning came on a sacrifice fly that made it 7-3.

Demmy (6-4) took the loss for KSC, allowing 11 runs (eight earned) in 5.1 innings while walking three and striking out four.

Doble improved to 4-2, yielding three earned runs on seven hits in five innings.  Hayley Catania's 1-2-3 sixth earned her a save as she entered in a 5-3 game.

How It Happened – Game Two
Keene State was held to just two hits and struck out 11 times against Brianna Melchionda (6-2) as the Beacons blanked the Owls 4-0.  Ferry had both of the KSC hits, singling to lead off the second and then with two outs in the sixth, but that and four walks was all the visitors could muster.  Keene State did have two on in the second after Grace Hallett walked, but a fielder's choice stranded the runners.  Aided by a pair of Owl errors, UMass-Boston cracked the scoreboard in the bottom of the third, scoring three unearned runs on Melchionda's bases loaded walk and a two-run single to right by Sydney Sanden.  That proved to be more than enough for Melchionda in the circle, who did not allow Keene State more than one baserunner in any inning other than the second.  Moran worked a leadoff walk to start the fourth down 3-0 and moved to second on an infield grounder, but a strikeout and bouncer back to the pitcher quickly ended the inning.  The only other baserunners the Owls managed came on a one-out walk by Alexis Blanchette in the fifth, Ferry's two-out single in the sixth, and a two-out free pass to Blanchette in the seventh.  The Beacons tacked on another run in the bottom half of their sixth on an error that made it 4-0.

Blanchette turned in a strong outing on the mound, not allowing an earned run in her six innings while allowing four hits and striking out seven, but took a tough loss.  Melchionda (6-2) walked four and allowed just the two hits while fanning 11 in her complete game win.

Sanden doubled and drove in a pair in 2-for-3 effort, but UMB had just four hits themselves, three singles.

Around the Horn

• Blanchette's seven strikeouts in the second game were a season high.  She has not allowed an earned run over her last 7.2 innings and has a 4.63 ERA on the season.
• After going 3-for-6 on the day, Ferry's average is now .344 on the season.  She has recorded a hit in 11 of her last 14 games.
• The Owls have lost five straight in Boston, but lead the all-time series 41-9.  KSC swept the Beacons in Keene last season (2-1 in eight and 8-0 in five), which was imperative to helping them ensure an LEC tournament spot.

Up Next

• Keene State returns home to take on Castleton University (9-6, 2-0 LEC) for a pair of LEC contests on Tuesday, April 12 at 3:00 p.m.
• UMass-Boston visits the University of Southern Maine (9-10, 3-1 LEC) on the same day and time.