LITTLE RIVER, S.C. – Sophomore outfielder Amanda Cerretani had three hits including a triple and drove in three runs while Kalle Halvorsen had two hits and drove in two in support of a solid start in the circle from Lilah Demmy as the Keene State College softball team beat Franciscan University (Ohio) 6-1 Tuesday at the North Myrtle Beach Sports Complex in the first of two games.  The Owl momentum did not carry over to the second contest, as Lycoming College scored nine runs in the top of the first inning and eventually won 22-8 in 5 innings.

Records

• Keene State:  2-2
• Franciscan:  0-3
• Lycoming:  3-0

How It Happened – Franciscan
The Owls jumped out to a 4-0 lead through two innings and then added four more runs across the fifth and sixth innings as they rolled past the President's Athletic Conference's Barons with ease behind hits from eight different people in the lineup.  Cerretani out of the leadoff spot and Halvorsen out of the eighth spot carried the majority of the load, driving in five combined between them, but Molly Murray (2-3, 2B, RBI, 2 R), Lilah Demmy (1-3, 2 RBI, R), and Mia Ferry (1-3, RBI) also had productive days at the plate for KSC, who has beaten Franciscan five times in program history by a combined score of 51-2.

After a 1-2-3 first for Demmy in the circle, Cerretani smacked a triple to right to get the Owls' offensive day started, and she scored on a ground out to short from the KSC pitcher, who gave her team a 1-0 lead while retiring the first six batters of the game.  The Owls tacked on three more runs in the second while getting four hits, including RBI singles from Halvorsen and Cerretani sandwiched around Murray's run-scoring double to right that made it 4-0.

Demmy whiffed two in the third despite Franciscan getting on the board through a pair of softly hit singles and a stolen base, but Keene State got the run back in the bottom of the fourth when Grace Hallett singled to right, moved up on two passed balls, and scored on a sacrifice fly from Halvorsen.

Leading 5-1, KSC put the game away with four runs across the fifth and sixth innings.  Liv Whittier hit for CC Chadwick with nobody out in the fifth and doubled to center.  Cerretani, who reached on an error the lead off, was thrown out trying to score on the play, but Whittier advanced to third on the throw and then scored on Demmy's infield single to third.   Ferry followed with her own run-scoring base hit for a 7-1 Owl lead.

The Barons generated their only significant threat of the game trailing by six in the sixth as they recorded three consecutive singles, but Demmy worked out of it by getting Alexis McKnight to bounce out to her unassisted.  Fittingly, Halvorsen, Murray, and Cerretani ended the game with three consecutive singles in the sixth, with Cerretani delivering the final two runs for the 9-1 win.

Demmy (1-0) allowed one run and six hits in the win, striking out seven without a walk.

How It Happened – Lycoming
It was a rough second game for the Owls, who fell into a 9-0 deficit after half an inning, 11-0 through two, and 22-3 through three.  The Warriors, who entered having scored five runs total in a pair of wins earlier this week, had three people record three hits and two others two.  Morgan Wetzel and Hailee Sobielski each drove in four runs and combined for three doubles and a triple.  Lycoming overall had six doubles in the game, half of which came in the opening inning and two of which came from consecutive batters Rachel Daub and Sobielski to open the scoring.  Wetzel added her own two-run double later to account for the final two Warrior runs in the inning.  KSC gave Lycoming help defensively in the first inning, making three miscues.  They had five errors overall in the game, helping lead to allowing nine unearned runs, two of which came in the second when their deficit grew to 11-0.

The Owls drew within 11-3 in the second when Whitter plated Demmy with an RBI single to center and Carissa Miller drove in two with a base hit to left, but they could not get any closer than that thanks to a massive 11-run third inning in which Lycoming sent 15 batters to the plate and rapped out nine hits including three doubles and, at one point, saw eight consecutive hitters reach base.  Sobielski opened the scoring with another two-run double in the frame.  Seven different people ultimately recorded an RBI for the Warriors in the inning.

Keene State did plate the final five runs as Hallett recorded an RBI single in the third and Ferry a two-run double in the fourth, but the deficit was far too much to overcome.

"Our offensive output continues to be positive.  Working on lots of ways to get on base, move, and score runners," said Owls head coach Carrah Fisk Hennessey.  "We need to be more consistent on the defensive side of the field."

Demmy finished 2-for-3 at the plate for KSC.  Ferry was 1-for-3 with two RBI.  Seven different Owls had a hit overall, but they have given up double-digit runs in two of the first four games of the season.

Ferry (1-1) took the loss in the circle, allowing 11 runs (three earned) on nine hits with a walk in two innings.

Wetzel and Sobielski combined to pace Lycoming's offense by going a combined 6-for-9 with eight RBI and seven runs.  Rachel DeWolfe (3-5, 2B, 2 RBI, 2 R) also had three hits, while Claire Alexander (2-2, 2 RBI, 3 R, 2 BB) and Kaleigh Kinley (2-3, 2 RBI, R) each had two hits.  The Warriors, who lost 9-1 in five innings to the Owls last year in South Carolina, had six people drive in multiple runs.  Kylie Russell (2-0) was credited with the win in the circle, pitching 1.2 scoreless innings.

Around the Horn

• Offensively, the Owls are 41-for-101 (.406) at the plate through four games with 11 doubles and a triple.  Six people are hitting over .400.  However, opponents are hitting .359 against KSC, which has also surrendered 14 unearned runs.
• KSC is 1-1 the past two years against Lycoming, the only two times the programs have met.

Up Next

• The Owls take on Worcester State University (5-1) and the University of Maine-Farmington (!-4) Wednesday (March 15) at 1:00 and 5:00 p.m., respectively, in South Carolina.
• After a day off, Franciscan has matchups with Salem State University (2-3) and Curry College (1-3) on Thursday morning (March 16) at 9:00 and 11:00 a.m.
• Lycoming plays McDaniel College (3-5) and State University of New York at Plattsburgh (1-1) on Thursday at 1:00 and 5:00 p.m.