MIDDLEBURY, Vt. – Shea Zina hit a two-run homer to bring the Keene State College baseball team within a run, but the Owls could not generate any other offense or enough big hits on the day as they lost at Middlebury College 4-3 in the Panthers' home opener on a new Forbes Field turf on Friday afternoon.

Records

• Keene State:  3-4
• Middlebury:  2-2

How It Happened
The momentum was against the Owls early, as they put two on via walks in the top of the second but grounded into a double play to quickly end the threat and then saw the Panthers put three on the board in the bottom half to take a quick lead.  The inning was aided by a wild pitch, three walks, and the second batter of the inning, Nathan Samii reaching on a wild pitch after a strikeout (though he was subsequently thrown out stealing second in a first and third situation).  Middlebury took a 1-0 lead in that frame on Andrew Ashley's grounder to short that plated Ben Slaughter, who doubled to start the inning.  Lucas Flemming added a double that kept carrying to right later in the inning, and a double roped down the left field line by Chris Borter made it 3-0.  David Floyd avoided further damage, stranding the bases loaded after striking out Kyle McCausland.

Keene State appeared to have a big inning brewing to respond as Evan Cali led off the third with a bunt single, stole second, and then moved to third when Tommy Ahlers extended his hitting streak to put two on with nobody out.  Ahlers then moved up to second, putting two in scoring position with nobody out, but the Owls plated only one on Brendan Eaton's groundout to short.  Middlebury got that run back right away on a home run by Slaughter to kick off the bottom half of the same inning.

Down 4-1, the Owls put two on with two down through two walks in the fourth, but a fly ball to left ended the inning.  Liam Conley entered in relief with two on and nobody out in the bottom of the frame and got out of trouble, inducing two weak groundouts and striking out Samii after KSC intentionally walked Slaughter.  Conley went two scoreless frames with two strikeouts, and overall the Owl bullpen that also included George Young and Dylan Ellison allowed three hits and no runs in five innings, striking out three.
However, the big hit remained elusive for KSC, as they stranded two in the sixth and the possible tying run at second in the eighth after Zina hit an important two-out, two-run homer to left in the seventh that made it 4-3.  Otis Follet punched a base hit into left with one out in the eighth to get the tying run on base and moved to second on a passed ball following a strikeout of Hamilton Barnes, and Cali bounced out to first to end the inning.  After Ellison worked around a two-out walk for a scoreless eighth, Eaton worked a one-out walk in the ninth against closer Andrew Gatland, but a fly to center and strikeout ended the game as the Owls stranded 10 on base, not taking advantage of seven walks and three hit batters.

"Liam Conley did a great job settling the game down and getting out of a big jam," said KSC head coach Justin Blood.  "George Young and Dylan Ellison did a good job out of the pen as well.  We just couldn't get the big hit today.  We had some decent at-bats and got runners on via walks and HBP's.  We needed somebody to come up with a big knock."

Floyd (0-2) took the loss, allowing six hits and four runs in three-plus innings.  He walked four and struck out three.

Owen Tross (1-0) picked up the win for Middlebury, going five innings and allowing one run on two hits while walking four and striking out four.

Zina had KSC's lone extra-base hit, and the Owls otherwise had three singles in the game.  Ahlers (1-4, BB, R), Follet (1-3, BB), and Joseph Lucas (0-1, 3 BB) were the only players to reach base multiple times.

Borter, the No. 9 batter in the Panthers' lineup, finished 3-for-3 with a double and an RBI.  Slaughter was 2-for-4 with a double, home run, and walk.

Around the Horn

• It was the first meeting between the teams since 2000 when KSC won 9-8 in 10 innings in Keene.
• The Owls' four hits were a season-low.  KSC has walked at least seven times five times in seven games, but has scored four runs or fewer in three of their last four games.
• Ahlers is on a five-game hitting streak and is hitting .333 with four doubles, two triples, and 10 RBI on the season.  Eaton is hitting .321 with six runs batted in.

Up Next

• The Owls travel to face St. Joseph's University on Long Island (N.Y.) (0-4) for two on Sunday, March 10 at 12:00 p.m.  The games have been moved to East Islip High School.
• Middlebury, who lost two of three in Alabama last weekend while playing three different schools prior to their home opener, is home against Vermont State University Castleton (1-9) tomorrow (Saturday, March 9) at 12:00 p.m.  The Spartans have given up double-digit runs in five of their last six games and in seven of 10 overall.