PLYMOUTH, N.H. – The Keene State College softball team held Plymouth State University to just one run over the opening nine innings of a Tuesday afternoon doubleheader at D&M Park in the Panthers' home-opening doubleheader to put themselves in position to post a much-needed league sweep.  However, Plymouth State scored three runs in the third and three in the sixth for six unanswered as they rallied for a 6-3 win in the second contest after falling 3-1 in the opener.

Records

• Keene State:  6-16, 2-4 LEC
• Plymouth State:  11-9, 2-2 LEC

How It Happened – Game One
Plymouth grabbed an early run in the opener, but was otherwise kept off the board by Lilah Demmy and a three-run fourth inning proved to be the difference as KSC nipped the Panthers to end a four-game losing streak in road games in the series.  PSU had threats scattered throughout, partly thanks to four walks since they finished with only five hits (three doubles, two singles), but save for the first, Demmy got out of whatever trouble she was in every time.  The Panthers' 1-0 lead came thanks to an error, as Kaity Montelongo reached on a bunt to lead off the game before stealing second and moving to third on Lauren Archambault's single.  The latter than took second to set up PSU with two in scoring position and nobody out, but Demmy did well to limit the damage to just one run, striking out Emily Bessette and getting Mia Ly to bounce to first, which produced the run.

The Owls did not muster much against Plymouth starter Emily Antrim early, including in the third when she walked the first two batters, but broke through with a three-run fourth after having five consecutive productive at-bats.  Amanda Cerretani began the uprising with a one-out base hit and KSC then put two in scoring position on Grace Hallett's double to left.  Hayley Townsend then poked an RBI single to left to tie the game before Demmy's fly to center brought home another and provided a 2-1 lead.  CC Chadwick tacked on an RBI base hit to score Townsend.  Four of KSC's seven hits in the game came in the fourth.

Now pitching with a 3-1 lead, Demmy continued to be effective, easily working around one-out doubles in both the fourth and fifth innings by retiring the other three that stepped to the plate in each instance.  Jade Guertin singled with one out in the sixth and then stole second to set up a runner at second and one out yet again, but again the Panthers did not score, as Rachyl Parslow lined to left.  Demmy wrapped up her complete game win by striking out Ly to end it.  PSU had gotten a walk from Archambault with one out to bring the tying run to the plate, but Bessette flew to right before Ly's whiff.  Montelongo popped to short to begin the inning.  The Panthers never had more than one hit in an inning.

Demmy (3-4) picked up the win, allowing only one unearned run and five hits.  She walked four and struck out four.

Antrim fell to 3-4, allowing three runs and seven hits in her seven frames with two free passes and four whiffs.

The five through nine spots in KSC's lineup combined to go 6-for-12 (.500) in the game, with Hallett finished 2-for-3 with a double.  Townsend, Demmy, and Chadwick – all in that group – accounted for all of the Owls' runs batted in.

Guertin (2-3, 2B) was the lone Panther with more than one hit.  Archambault and Bessette each went 1-for-3 with a walk.

How It Happened – Game Two
Keene State appeared to be in a decent position to complete the sweep when they took a 3-0 lead in the third in the nightcap, but their lead did not last the next half inning and the Panthers broke a tie with a three-run sixth as they salvaged a split with a 6-3 win.  The Owls stranded three in the opening two innings, but cracked the scoreboard first in the third when Molly Murray and Sara Cote set up a two-on and nobody out threat.  Liv Whittier bounced into a fielder's choice, but Mia Ferry's deep fly to center moved up both runners into scoring position.  Cerretani and Hallett again came through in a big spot, both singling to center with two outs, to provide the Owls the three-run lead.
However, that advantage did not last long, as Guertin doubled and Parslow tripled to begin the bottom half of the inning to put KSC in quick trouble and trim the PSU deficit to 3-1.  Montelongo then walked and stole second to put the tying run in scoring position, and another run came across when Archambault's grounder to first was boxed around.  She then stole second ahead of Bessette's single to the pitcher that loaded the bases.  Ferry struck out Ly for the first out looking to escape the bases loaded jam with the lead in tact, but the next batter, Sam McCann lofted a fly ball to center that scored Montelongo – an unearned run – to tie the game.

Aside from the third inning, the story of the game eventually evolved into missed opportunities for KSC, who stranded 11 on base in the game including two in the first, two in the fifth, three in the sixth, and two in the seventh.

In a tie game in the sixth, Chadwick and Cote worked two-out walks surrounding a single from Murray to load the bases, but a pop up to first ended that threat.  PSU then cashed in on their own chance in their half of the inning to take the lead, and ultimately win.  McCann led off with a double to center and, facing reliever Carissa Miller in the circle, Abbey Nezuch moved McCann to third with a grounder to third.  A fielder's choice on Emily Picard's bunt where the Owls did not get an out on the play produced the go-ahead run to make it 4-3, and the Panthers tacked on two more runs with two outs on RBI singles by Parslow and Montelongo.

Down 6-3, KSC did bring the tying run to the plate when Cerretani singled with one down and Allison Adams walked with two outs, but a 4-3 bouncer to second ended the game.

"We had good pitching today, and opportunities that we did not capitalize on," said KSC head coach Carrah Fisk Hennessey.  "The bottom of the order provided some key things in Game 1, but we are still overall searching for key hits and the ability to build on leads."

Ferry (2-4) took the loss in the circle for the Owls, allowing six hits and five runs (four earned) in five-plus innings.  She walked two and struck out three.

Kate McGrath (2 BB, 3 K) improved to 5-2, as despite allowing 10 hits, she held KSC to only three runs.  Madison Pelletier got a two-out save, walking one.

Murray (3-4) and Cerretani (3-4, 2 RBI) each had three-hit efforts for KSC, who outhit PSU 10-8, but did not have any of them go for extra bases.

Parslow paced Plymouth by going 2-for-3 with a triple, two RBI, and two runs.  Montelongo was 2-for-3 with an RBI, walk, and run.

Around the Horn

• KSC is 5-4 when scoring five or more runs.  Their win in the opener was their first this season when scoring fewer than five.
• The Owls lead the all-time series 42-24, but have not swept PSU in seven years as they were attempting to do today.
• Demmy has allowed three earned runs or fewer in each of her last five appearances.  Her season ERA stands at 2.61, and she has 47 K in 53.2 innings.

Up Next

• KSC returns home to take on Western Connecticut State University (13-13, 1-5 LEC) for two on Saturday, April 15 at 1:00 p.m.
• Plymouth State has a non-league doubleheader at Husson University (14-10) on Thursday (April 13) beginning at 3:00 p.m.