KEENE, N.H. – The Keene State College baseball team fell behind 3-0 in the top of the first inning and wound up giving up that many or more runs in five different innings as they lost 16-6 to New England College in the Owls' 2022 home opener Sunday at the Owl Athletic Complex.
Records
- Keene State: 2-13
- New England College: 9-8
Postgame Interview with Coach Blood (click here)
How It Happened
Playing their first game on their home field of the season after 14 at other venues and in front of fans for the first time in three years, KSC struggled, losing to the Pilgrims for the second straight time in the series after 13 consecutive wins and for the first time ever in Keene. It was all NEC on this day, as they scored at least three runs against four of the five Owl pitchers and overall outhit KSC 17-4. Five of the Pilgrims' hits went for extra bases, including three doubles. Sylvain Audet hit the lone home run of the game, a two-run shot in the third that ballooned New England College's lead to 6-0. Offensively, the Owls went without an extra-base hit and were limited to only four singles, two of which came from
Brendan Eaton who now has a hit in three consecutive games.
Trent Mayer (1-3, BB, R) and
Mike Collins (1-3, BB, 2 R) each singled and reached twice overall, but KSC struck out 10 times in the game, nine of which came against NEC starter Wyatt Cameron, who allowed just one hit in five innings. It was easily a season-long outing for the junior, who had pitched two innings and allowed three runs against Salem State University in his only other start on March 15. Fourteen different Pilgrims got a hit at the plate, paced by two from Brady Philibotte, Michael Ciccotelli, and Brett Patnode. Audet and JD Normand each drove in three runs.
Playing its fourth game in three days, New England College got off to a quick start, taking a 2-0 lead four batters in on Normand's two-run double. Tyler Gendron added a sacrifice fly later in the inning to plate another as KSC was again battling uphill in a game.
Wyatt Daft walked to start the Owls' half of the first, but was immediately erased with a double play, and the home team did not have two runners on at once until the seventh when
Joe Barter walked and Eaton followed with a single. That frame also ended with a double play. Eaton had also singled to lead off the second in what was still a 3-0 game, but Cameron struck out the side after that and six in a row overall. In fact, he retired 12 in a row to close his outing, eight by strikeout. Keene State as a team was sent down 1-2-3 in four consecutive innings overall, including on three pitches in the sixth by reliever Nolan Stoney.
The Owls broke up the shutout in the eighth with runs on a Daft ground out to the catcher and a two-run throwing error by the shortstop Philibotte. Five walks helped KSC score three times in the ninth.
Josh Beayon (0-3) took the loss for Keene State on the mound, allowing seven hits and six runs in 2.1 innings. He walked two and struck out two.
Around the Horn
- KSC leads the all-time series 13-4, but has lost the last two by a combined score of 27-10. The Owls won their season opener last year against NEC, 8-1, before falling in Henniker 11-4 a week later.
- Keene State was held without an extra-base hit for the third time in 15 games this season.
Up Next
- The Owls remain home to host Fitchburg State University (3-17) on Tuesday, April 5 at 3:00 p.m.
- New England College plays two at Albertus Magnus College (0-12) on Wednesday, April 6 starting at 4:00 p.m.
