LITTLE RIVER, S.C. – The Keene State College softball team rebounded from a marathon, 10-inning 9-8 loss to the University of Minnesota-Morris by recording their first win of the season, 5-2 over the University of Mount St. Vincent on Saturday at the North Myrtle Beach Sports Complex as part of the Fastpitch Dreams Spring Classic.

KSC (1-6) rebounded from a 5-0 deficit against UMM (9-9) and had the winning run 90 feet away in the bottom of the seventh with only one out, but the Cougars got out of the jam and then also threw out what would have been the winning run at the plate to end the eighth before ultimately prevailing in the tenth.  The Owls left seven runners on from the seventh inning on, and 16 in total, to negate what was their best offense performance of the season thus far.  KSC had four different players record three hit games including two from a pair of first years, including Grace Wallace who was 3-for-6 with a double and two RBI.  Six had multi-hit games as Keene State outhit Minnesota-Morris 18-9.

The Cougars, however, used four sacrifices and five stolen bases to manufacture enough runs to squeeze out a run.  In fact, they plated a pair without a hit in the tenth, which proved to be the game-winning runs.  Automatic runner Olivia Diver was moved to third on a bunt by Sophie Diver when the throw to try to get the lead runner was late.  Both runners ended up in scoring position after Olivia took second, and they ended up scoring on a grounder to second and then an error as Minnesota-Morris took a 9-7 lead.  KSC answered, as Liv Whittier made it 9-8 with an RBI single into right in the bottom half of the inning and Wallace subsequently singled to put the tying and winning runs both on base, but a foul out and a strikeout looking ended the game.

It could have been an uplifting victory for the Owls, who trailed 5-0 entering the bottom of the fourth before plating four in the fourth and one in the fifth to tie the game.  They also found themselves trailing 7-5 after the top of the eighth, but rallied with two in the bottom half as Whittier tripled to right on the second pitch of the inning before later scoring on a passed ball.  After a groundout back to the circle by Hayley Townsend moved Lilah Demmy to second, Abbie Monkevicz came through with what could have been a walk-off single, but Demmy was thrown out at the plate by Sierra Stevens to send the game to extras.

Skyla Bristol finished 2-for-6 and drove in three for Minnesota-Morris, while Stevens drove in two and reached three times (single, two walks).

Demmy (0-3) took a tough loss, allowing two unearned runs in the tenth.  Carissa Miller got the start and allowed four runs and four hits over two innings.

Alyssa Thornton (4-3) won for UMM, tossing the final 4.1 innings and allowing seven hits and three runs (one earned).  She walked one and whiffed three.

The Owls (1-6) stopped a six-game slide in the day's second game, scoring three times in the sixth to separate from Mount St. Vincent (1-6) after trailing 1-0 through three.  KSC took their first lead with a pair of runs in the fourth as Miller and Picard recorded RBI singles.  The Dolphins tied the game at two in the bottom of the fifth on a KSC miscue that should have ended the inning, but Picard helped the Owls answer in the next half inning with a two-run triple past third and into the left field corner.  Whittier and Picard then executed a double steal in a first and third situation later in the inning for a 5-2 Keene State lead, which was never threatened.

Demmy (1-3) picked up the win, allowing eight hits and two unearned runs in a complete game effort.  She struck out six while not walking a batter.

Serena Duran fell to 0-2 for Mount St. Vincent, allowing five runs (two earned) on seven hits in 5.1 innings.  However, the Dolphins had the bases loaded in the first and could only score one time, which proved costly in the end.  Their next big scoring chance did not come until the fifth when they had runners on first and second with one out, but they only managed the run on an error.

KSC has another matchup with MSV tomorrow morning at 10:00 a.m. before taking on the State University of New York at Delhi at 12:00 p.m., both in Myrtle Beach.