MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. – Senior pitchers Patrick McKeighan and Dean Ruzich combined to toss 5.2 scoreless innings while allowing just two hits and striking out five to help lead the Keene State College baseball team to a 3-0 victory over Worcester State University in the second of two games Wednesday night at Griffith Field as part of the Ripken Experience in Myrtle Beach.  It was the Owls' first shutout win of the season, and was a much-needed result after KSC dropped the opener 11-1, being held to four hits while also allowing eight runs in the seventh inning.

Postgame Interview (Coach Blood)

How It Happened – Game One
In a seven-inning game that was scoreless through four, it was the Lancers who cracked the scoreboard first with three in the fifth and two innings later piled on with eight in the seventh to run away with a win.  KSC, who was limited to four hits, answered with a two-out run in the sixth to make it a two-run game and had the tying runs on base, but left both on and then saw Worcester State send 12 batters to the plate in the very next half inning to blow the game open.  The Owls were complicit in the frame, hitting two batter and making two miscues, one of which cleared the bases to make it 11-1 on a fly ball that should have ended the inning.  The big blows came earlier, with Alex Sorenti-Burns doubling to center to plate two and give WSU a 5-1 lead before the very next batter Zack Roberts singled in the same direction to drive in two more to make it a comfortable lead for the Lancers.

Prior to that inning, it seemed as though the game was headed to a tight finish after starters Jake Jachym, in his collegiate debut for Keene State, and Danny DiMassimo traded zeros for a combined eight consecutive half innings.  Jachym had a pair of strikeouts in his first collegiate innings, and then notched two more in the second to work around a pair of singles with one out.  He also had 1-2-3 innings in both the third and fourth to keep it a scoreless game, but ran into trouble in the fifth after KSC stranded a pair of baserunners in the fourth including Evan McCue's leadoff single to left.  WSU's three-run frame began with Sean Devin being hit by a pitch, but a pair of flyouts sandwiched around a single from Tom Halliwell had two on and two out for Jachym.  Tyler Smith broke the scoring ice with a two-strike single to center to spell the end of the day for the KSC starter, and a walk followed by a two-run single against reliever Evan Cali made it a 3-0 game.

Offensively, KSC did not have many answers against DiMassimo for Worcester State, who improved to 2-0 after allowing one earned run and two hits in 5.2 innings.  He walked one and struck out six.  The Owls managed only one baserunner on an Eaton hit by pitch in the first trip around the order, and did not pick up their first hit until McCue's in the fourth.  Eaton was hit again with two down to put two on and set up KSC's first chance of the day with runners in scoring position, but Shea Zina bounced into a routine fielder's choice grounder to second to end the inning.  The Owls' only other substantial threat came in the sixth down three when, with two down, Jonathan Chatfield singled up the middle and moved up the next two bases on a wild pitch and passed ball, respectively, before Eaton brought him in with a full count single to shortstop.  Eaton then moved to second himself on another wild pitch in a 3-1 game ahead of Zina's walk, but another fielder's choice ended the inning.  The Owls overall hit into nine ground ball outs (seven against DiMassimo) and struck out seven times.

Jachym (0-1) took a tough-luck loss, pitching more effectively than his three earned run and four hits allowed in 4.2 innings would indicate.  He did not walk anybody and whiffed six.

KSC's offense was limited to four singles from four different people.  McCue reached twice, going 1-for-3 with a walk.  Brice Waldron had a hit in his first collegiate plate appearance.

Roberts (2-4, 2 RBI, R, K) and Halliwell (2-4, RBI, 2 R, K) each had multi-hit games to pace Worcester State's offense.

How It Happened – Game Two
Behind four arms including seniors McKeighan and Ruzich, the Owls posted their first shutout of the season and pitched a two-hitter against the Lancers to salvage a split in a fast-moving nightcap.  The only runs KSC would need came in the third as they built a 3-0 lead, and McKeighan struck out Halliwell and Quezada in an important shutdown inning thereafter as part of sending down the first nine batters he faced in order.  Sorenti-Burns doubled to left to kick off the fifth to snap that streak in what was still a 3-0 game, but McKeighan bounced back to set down the next three in order as well, punching out Halliwell looking to end the inning.

Liam Conley entered in the sixth and got Quezada to bounce to third but then walked Colin Fitzgerald, balked him to second, and then ran a ball in that hit Smith to bring the tying run to the plate.  KSC head coach Justin Blood then turned to Ruzich, who came in and got Chris Ausiello to bounce into a room service 5-4-3 double play on a 3-2 count to end the inning.  He had to work more in the seventh, as Roberts doubled to right to start the frame before Sorenti-Burns was plunked to bring the tying run to the plate.  A risky – though successful – double-steal followed as the Lancers' threat began to bud, but Ruzich snuffed out the fire before it spread too much as Anthony Iamarone was buckled and struck out looking for the first out.  The winning run did step up to the plate after Devin's free pass, but pinch-hitter Zach Landry was frozen on an 0-2 pitch for the second out and Ruzich got Quezada to hit a weak pop up to Josh Beayon at first to end the game.

It was a much-needed effort for KSC's pitching staff, which had allowed 16 runs in the prior two games.  David Floyd got the start and was utilized as an "opener" of sorts, striking out one in a 1-2-3 first.

McKeighan (1-0) got the win, firing four innings and allowing just one hit while striking out three, needing 41 pitches.  Ruzich was scoreless over 1.2 frames, allowing one hit and whiffing two.

McCue (2-4, 2B, 2 RBI) and Hamilton Barnes (2-4, 2B, R) continued to impress at the plate for the Owls, who made the three runs they scored in the third stand up.  Junior Santos began the uprising with a two-bagger and Barnes followed with another of the hustle variety, moving to second after the shortstop Ausiello inadvertently kicked the ball away.  Santos was caught in a rundown on the ensuing play on a hard grounder back to Worcester starter Craig Barnes as KSC stayed scoreless, but Eaton avoided a 4-6-3 double player later to bring in a run and make it 1-0 Owls while still leaving a pair on.  That proved to be even more significant when McCue followed with a two-run single on a nice stroke to right center as KSC went up 3-0.

Barnes (0-1) took the loss for the Lancers, allowing seven hits and three runs (all earned) in 5.2 innings.  He walked two and struck out one while allowing 11 fly balls, but it was enough to keep his team in the game.

KSC improved to 2-1 in the second games of doubleheaders, including a 4-1 win at Trinity College (Conn.) on March 5.

Around the Horn

• Barnes has two hits in five of his last seven games and is hitting .357 on the season.
• The twinbill was just the second and third-ever meetings between the two programs, which are only about an hour apart in New England.
• Jachym and Floyd, both freshmen, combined to strike out seven in 5.2 innings.

Up Next

• Keene State wraps up their second-ever Myrtle Beach Ripken Experience trip with a single morning contest against Suffolk University on Thursday (March 16) at 9:00 a.m.
• Worcester State plays a doubleheader against New England College at Socastee High School in Myrtle Beach starting at 10:00 a.m.