BOSTON, Mass. – The Keene State College baseball team walked a combined 15 batters over two games and surrendered 21 runs as they dropped a conference doubleheader at the University of Massachusetts-Boston 11-4 and 10-4 on Saturday afternoon at Monan Park.  The Owls have not beaten the Beacons since 2014 and have not won at that venue since it opened nine years ago.

Records

• Keene State:  12-15, 3-4 LEC
• UMass-Boston:  18-8, 8-1 LEC

How It Happened
Looking to build off Wednesday's non-conference win over Roger Williams University (receiving votes in d3baseball.com Top 25 poll), the Owls instead dropped their third consecutive Little East Conference game, allowing double-digit runs in all three while scoring a combined nine runs themselves.

In the opener today, KSC's pitching labored, walking nine batters and hitting two others as they fell into a 5-1 deficit through four innings.  The Owls got three back in the fifth to make it a one-run game, including a two-run blast by Jonathan Chatfield, but gave one of the runs back in the bottom half, another in the sixth, and four in the seventh as they allowed runs in five consecutive innings overall.

Neither team had a hit until the third, when Breon Parker singled to center with one out for the Beacons.  He then scored when the next batter Justin Gouveia doubled.  Later, consecutive hits by Aidan Blake and Brandon Gaer made it 3-0.  KSC got one run back in the third when Chatfield walked and Otis Follet singled two batters later before both advanced on a passed ball and then an error on Hamilton Barnes' grounder.

Walks and defense began biting the Owls in the very next inning though, as No. 8 batter Elliot Miles walked and moved to second on a passed ball before No. 9 batter Breon Parker was also issued a free pass.  Both scored on Gouveia's two-run double on an 0-2 count that made it 5-1.

KSC fought back within one in the top of the fourth, as Evan McCue led off with a single and moved to second on a passed ball before scoring on Joseph Lucas' RBI double.  Lucas then scored three batters later when Chatfield went deep for the first time this season after six a year ago, brining the Owls within 5-4.

In need of a shutdown inning, KSC instead made a pair of miscues on the first two plays of the inning as Blake reached on an error and then moved to third on another when Gaer grounded to first.  Mike Meagher's subsequent sacrifice fly made it 6-4.  After the Owls went down in order in the sixth, another unearned run allowed in the bottom half made it a three-run game.  Parker was hit by a pitch with one out and Gouveia then walked.  An error by pitcher Dylan Ellison then loaded the bases before a fielder's choice grounder from Blake made it 7-4.

UMass-Boston put the game out of reach with four runs in the bottom of the seventh, an inning that began with Meagher reaching on a passed ball after striking out (he was then thrown out stealing), a walk to Mariano Jimenez, and then an errant pickoff throw that allowed him to move to third.  Max Garner then scored him with a double to left to make it 8-4.  Later in the inning, pinch-runner Nick Farnacci scored from second when Miles flied out to right and Bostyn Burris hit a two-run double to put KSC down seven.
Offensively, the Owls had one hit over the final four innings, a Chatfield double with one out in the eighth, and he did not advance any further.

Shea Zina (2-2) started for KSC and took the loss, allowing six hits and six runs in 4.2 innings.  He walked six and struck out four while throwing 101 pitches.

The Beacons allowed just one free baserunner, and Max Moss (5-0) got the win, allowing four hits and four runs in six innings with one walk and four strikeouts.

The top three batters in UMB's order (Gouveia, Burris, and Blake) were a combined 6-for-13 and drove in seven of their 11 runs.  KSC walked three of the Beacons' bottom four hitters in their lineup twice apiece.

Chatfield had a multi-hit game, going 2-for-3 with the homer and two RBI.  The Owls had just five hits.

In the second game, KSC struck with a run in the first inning, but allowed three in the bottom half and never led again, walking six more and hitting three others while striking out 14 times offensively themselves.

After falling behind 4-2, the Owls fought back to tie it at four on Follet's two-out, two-run single in the fourth that plated Lucas and Evan Cali, who singled earlier in the inning.  However, a shutdown inning was again elusive as four of the first five Beacons in the bottom half recorded a hit including a double each from Garner and Parker, helping make it 6-4.  KSC stranded the bases loaded to stay in it, but allowed another run in the fifth despite UMB not getting any hits and two more in the sixth on pinch-hitter Luke Leavitt's two-run double to fall behind 9-4.

Keene State could not manage much of a rally, as they struck out nine times in the final four innings.  Earlier in the game, they left seven on base in the opening four innings (10 in total) as they let UMB starter Dillon Ryan off the hook.

Ryan improved to 4-0, allowing six hits and four runs in five innings.  He walked one and struck out five.

For the sixth straight conference game, the Owls saw a starter chased before completing five innings, as Camden Thomas (2-1) surrendered nine hits and six runs in 2.2 innings while walking two and whiffing two.

"Obviously we didn't play well today," said Keene State head coach Justin Blood.  "Far too many free 90's.  Pitchers never commanded the zone at a high enough level.  A couple guys gave us good at bats, but overall we did not have a great day at the plate either.  Today was not our best effort."

Follet finished the second game 3-for-5 with a double and two RBI.  Lucas also had three hits (3-4) and Cali was 2-for-5.

Once again, KSC could not quiet the top of UMB's lineup in part because they allowed free bases to the bottom half, as Gouveia, Burris, and Blake combined to go 8-for-12 with four RBI and six runs scored.

Around the Horn

• Keene State has lost 19 straight in the series, not winning since Shawn Egan's eight inning one-hitter in a 5-1 win in 2014.  At that time, the Owls led the series 29-13.  They now trail it 32-29.
• The Owls' 14 strikeouts at the plate in the second game were a season-high.
• On the mound, their nine walks in the opener were also a season-high.  KSC is 4-9 when walking at least six batters in a game.
• Chatfield's homer was the Owls' first since March 22 at Rhode Island College.

Up Next

• Keene State hosts Vermont State University Castleton (3-23, 0-6 LEC) on Tuesday (April 16) at 3:00 p.m.
• UMass-Boston travels to Plymouth State University (5-9, 2-3 LEC) on the same day (3:00 p.m.).