BRISTOL, R.I. – In three games between this past Saturday and Monday, the Keene State College baseball team scored a combined 31 runs against Plymouth State University and New England College while going 3-0 and extending a winning streak to five games.  Two days later, they find themselves searching offensively as their bats were again quiet while being two-hit by Luke Lariviere and two relievers in Roger Williams University's commanding 7-1 win at Paolino Field in non-conference action Wednesday afternoon.

Records

• Keene State:  13-13
• Roger Williams:  9-14

How It Happened
One day after managing only single runs in the first and ninth in a 5-2 loss at Castleton University, today KSC mustered just one run and were held to two hits or fewer for the third time this season as they fell back to the .500 mark at 13-13 after they had previously won five games in a row.  Roger Williams, after a delay of more than an hour at the start of the game due to a wait for umpires, got out of a runner at third and one out jam in the first and then quickly put up a run in their half of the inning partly thanks to an Owl error.  Owen Hibbard reached with one out on a miscue, and then scored on a double from Matt Massaro.  KSC starter Dan Cantafi got out of further trouble, striking out two of the next three batters to keep the damage to just one.

The Owls did have a quick response against Lariviere to tie the game in the second as Brendan Eaton and Otis Follet began the frame with singles before Eaton later scored on a ground out from Evan Cali to tie the game.  However, those would prove to be KSC's only hits of the game, as they saw their final 24 batters set down consecutively.  Lariviere has been a rollercoaster all season, allowing nine runs to Crown College in the opener before allowing just one run in 11 combined innings against the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point and Babson College.  The University of Massachusetts-Boston then tagged him for five earned runs in 6.1 innings in his last appearance, a game RWU lost 10-6, but he helped the Hawks register their second non-conference victory of the season today.

After KSC tied the game in the second, Roger Williams hit right back with a two-spot – mostly using small ball – in their half of the same inning as a shutdown frame eluded the Owls.  The inning began with a walk to Nick Sheehan, and Mike Bogosian then sacrificed him into scoring position with a bunt.  Sheehan then stole third and scored on an error by Cali on the throw for a 2-1 lead.  Christopher Flynn then tripled to right center and scored on another bunt, this being one that turned into an RBI base hit for Matt Falvey.

The 3-1 lead would ultimately prove to be plenty in the end, but RWU did tack on two more in the fifth, one in the sixth, and one in the eighth to pull away.  KSC struggled to contain the Hawks on the bases, allowing nine steals – all of which happened in innings they also allowed a run.  In the two-run fifth, they took three bags, every time swiping second to put a runner in scoring position.  Two of the three eventually scored, with Massaro taking the first and scoring on Jack Morin's single that bounded into left field.  Morin then scored himself on Sheehan's base hit to right, giving RWU a 6-1 lead.  The same thing happened again in the sixth when Falvey's grounder found its way into right, and he then stole second and moved to third on Hibbard's grounder to second before scoring on another single through the right side for Massaro.

Eaton (1-3) and Follet (1-3) had the Owls' only hits.  KSC also made two errors in the game.

"Team offense can be streaky at times.  We had a very good stretch, but in the last two days we haven't been very good," said Keene State head coach Justin Blood.  "We weren't particularly strong in any facet today…didn't command the zone well and didn't control the running game.  We need to have a couple of good practices the next two days and get ready to turn the tide on Saturday."

Cantafi (1-2) took the loss, allowing six hits and five runs (four earned) in 4.2 innings.  He walked three and struck out four while throwing 94 pitches.  KSC as a staff threw 167 pitches, 57 more than the Hawks needed.

Lariviere improved to 1-1, allowing two hits and one run in seven innings with one walk and seven strikeouts.  Conor Gaughan and Dom DeFeo pitched scoreless innings out of the Hawks' bullpen as RWU completed a shining day on the mound despite entering with a staff ERA around seven.

Massaro finished 4-for-5 with a double and drove in two runs.  Morin was 2-for-4 with two RBI, a walk, and a run.

Around the Horn

• Cantafi's start was the third of his season and first since March 26 at Eastern Nazarene College.
• Eaton has a hit in 10 of his last 11 games and has a .315 average on the season, raising it from .170 prior to this stretch.
• Keene State has lost five straight against Roger Williams and now trails in the all-time series, 8-7.  They also scored only one run against the Hawks last year.

Up Next

• KSC returns home to face Little East Conference opponent UMass-Boston (15-9, 5-0 LEC) on Saturday, April 15 for a doubleheader that begins at 12:00 p.m.  Despite still holding a slim advantage in the all-time series, the Owls have not won in the series in nine years.
• Roger Williams visits Rhode Island College (16-10) tomorrow (Thursday, April 13) at 3:30 p.m. ahead of an important CCC doubleheader at nationally-ranked Endicott College on Saturday.