KEENE, N.H. – The Keene State College softball team rallied from a pair of two-run deficits to take a two-run lead through four innings in the second game of a conference doubleheader on Tuesday afternoon, but the lead did not last long as Eastern Connecticut State University scored four times in the top of the fifth and those proved to be the deciding runs as the Warriors finished a sweep of the Owls with a 9-8 win at the Owl Athletic Complex.  KSC was whitewashed 10-1 in the first game.

Records

• Keene State:  7-19, 3-7 LEC
• Eastern Connecticut:  16-8, 8-0 LEC

Postgame Interview (Coach Fisk Hennessey)

How It Happened
The Owls rebounded from a run-rule loss in the first game in which they never led and were held to three hits to produce seven runs over the first four innings of the nightcap, but the Warriors' immediate answer in a four-run fifth gave them a 9-7 lead that ultimately held up.  KSC answered with a run in the bottom of the fifth when Allison Adams singled and pinch-runner Amanda Cerretani eventually scored on Grace Hallett's single to make it a one-run game again (9-8), but the Owls left four runners on in the final two innings and lost by that score.  In the sixth, Sara Cote and Liv Whittier each worked walks with two outs, but Mia Ferry, who had homered earlier to put KSC in front 5-4, flew to left to end the inning.  Still searching for the tying run in their last ups, Hallett singled with one out and then moved into scoring position on Lilah Demmy's walk, which put the winning run on base.  However, the Owls could not come through with the key hit, as Halvorsen did move Hallett to third on a fielder's choice, but CC Chadwick skied to right to end the game.

Unlike the opener when ECSU scored three in the first and was never threatened, Keene State did answer back quickly this time around, as the Warriors took a 2-0 lead in the first but saw it get erased in the bottom half when Adams plated a pair with a line drive single to left.  Eastern again scored twice in the third to retake the lead, but back came the Owls again, scoring three in the bottom half to make it 5-4.  The first two came across when Cote stole second and then scored, along with Molly Murray, when Julia SanGiovanni threw the ball away.  Ferry then hit the go-ahead home run with one out.  ECSU retied the game in the top of the fourth at six, but KSC kept their offense going, taking a 7-5 lead in the bottom on Murray's triple to left and Cote's hard-hit single to short.

Shutdown innings continued to elude the Owls, however, as ECSU scored four times in the fifth to take a 9-7 lead and those proved to be the deciding runs.  The first two reached without the Warriors getting the ball out of the infield as Sarah Remillard singled to second and SanGiovanni was then hit with a pitch.  A pair of foul outs sandwiching another free pass left the bases loaded and two outs in what was still a 7-5 game, but the Owls did not get the third out until it was too late.  Alexa Boone tied the game with a two run double to left center on a 3-1 count, and after Ferry entered in the circle, Maddy Bowen hit a two-run single up the middle and into center to put the Warriors back in front, ultimately for good.

Carissa Miller (1-10) took the loss in the circle, allowing nine runs and six hits in 4.2 innings while walking four and striking out three.

Victoria Heaphy (1-4) won for the first time on the season, allowing a run and two hits in 1.1 innings.  Carley Stoker, who won the opener, got the save with two scoreless innings.  She allowed a hit and walked three, but the Owls couldn't score.

Adams was 2-for-4 and drove in two, while Hallett had a pair of hits and an RBI.  Murray was 2-for-3 with a triple and a walk, while Cote was 1-for-2 with a run batted in and also reached on a walk.

KSC trailed 3-0 after half an inning in game one, 5-0 by the third, and managed very little on offense against Stoker, scoring their only run in the third inning on Whittier's single to center.  The inning ended when Murray was thrown out at third on the play, and ECSU immediately got that run back in the top of the fourth and then piled on four more in the top of the sixth to win easily.

Demmy (4-5) took the loss, allowing 10 runs and 15 hits in six innings.  She walked three and struck out four.

Stoker improved to 8-1, allowing three hits and one run in the six innings with two walks and seven whiffs.

Around the Horn

• The Owls led the series against the Warriors 26-25 at one point, but have lost the last 16 meetings in a row.
• KSC is 2-6 in games decided by two runs or less.

Up Next

• Keene State travels to the University of Southern Maine on Saturday, April 22 for a doubleheader that starts at 1:00 p.m.
• Eastern Connecticut visits the United States Coast Guard Academy tomorrow (Wednesday, April 19) for two beginning at 3:00 p.m.