MANSFIELD, Conn. – First year Grace Wallace homered twice and classmate Elyse Picard added the first of her collegiate career, but it was not enough as the Keene State College softball team could not hold a lead in both games Saturday afternoon, falling at Eastern Connecticut State University 3-2 and 9-5 at Clyde Washburne Field.

Records

• Keene State:  4-17, 0-5 LEC
• Eastern Connecticut:  12-9-1, 4-2 LEC

How It Happened
It was a tough loss in the opener for KSC, who was a strike away from winning but ended up suffering a walk-off loss – by inches – after carrying a 2-1 lead into the bottom of the seventh thanks to Picard's long ball to left with two outs in the top half.  Carissa Miller had thrown a gem up to that point, allowing just one run and four hits over the first six innings.  She also sent down the first two Warriors of the final inning on five pitches as it seemed the Owls would ride her gem and a pair of solo homers to an important win.  It was not to be, as the final four reached for Eastern Connecticut.  The rally began with Maddy Bowen's single into left before Kaley Laird walked on five pitches.  Emma Marelli then legged out a grounder to the left side and was called safe on an extremely close play at first, loading the bases.  Miller than had Sarah Remillard down 0-2 in the count, but the ensuing pitch was lined down the left field line and landed on the foul line and gave the Warriors a walk-off win.

Ultimately, the game not only came down to inches on a pair of plays in the seventh, but KSC was also unable to notch shutdown innings.  In the fourth, Wallace got the Owls on the board and in front 1-0 with her second career home run on the first pitch of the inning.  However, ECSU tied the game in the bottom of the frame when Alyssa Vilchez tripled and scored on Julia SanGiovanni's sacrifice.

Miller's outing was her longest of the season, and was also solid, as she did not allow more than one baserunner in an inning until the sixth.  In that frame, Vilchez doubled with one out and SanGiovanni was hit with a pitch, but Hayley Townsend threw out Vilchez trying to steal third and Miller than got Maddi Sauve to pop weakly to short to end the inning and send it to the seventh tied at one.

The Owls' junior starter wound up taking the loss – her first decision of the season – allowing seven hits and three runs in 6.2 innings while walking one and striking out two.
Vilchez (8-4) picked up the win for ECSU, allowing seven hits and two runs in the complete game.  She walked three and whiffed three.

Picard finished 3-for-4 with a double in addition to the homer.

The home team's offense was paced by Vilchez (3-3, 2B, 3B) and Bowen (2-3), who had five of their seven hits.

The fifth inning swung the nightcap of what was a 4-4 game at that point, as KSC wasted a two on, one out situation and then made three errors, walked a batter, and hit a batter in the bottom half that helped lead to five unearned runs that ended up deciding the game.  Eastern's first hit of the inning did not come until the sixth batter of the inning when Bowen cracked a two-run double to make it 7-4.  Two batters later after a free pass, Marelli plated two more to put the Owls down five runs.

KSC got one back in the top of the sixth after Picard and Wallace each walked before Abbie Monkevicz's RBI double made it 9-5, but Wallace was thrown out trying to score on the play.

Lilah Demmy fanned the final two Warriors of the sixth to leave two on base and keep the Owls within shouting distance, but KSC went down in four batters, managing only a walk from Olivia Crawford, in their final at bats.

The fifth inning helped erase what was a strong start for the Owls and the hot-hitting Wallace, who pulled a three-run homer over the left field fence four batters into the game to give KSC a 3-0 lead.  Kalle Halvorsen had reached on an error and Picard a single in the first two batters of the game to set up her at bat.  However, KSC still struggled to keep momentum, as ECSU answered with two in the bottom half to get right back within one and eventually tied the game in the third on a SanGiovanni two-out RBI single.  An RBI single by Wallace in the fourth put KSC ahead once more, only to see a pair of walks sandwiched around a sacrifice bunt for the Warriors eventually lead to a Marelli single to left that made it 4-4 in the fourth.

Demmy (2-10) took the loss, allowing 10 hits and nine runs – but only four earned – in six innings.  She walked three and struck out four.

Vilchez (9-4) entered in the fifth and got the win, allowing a run and two hits over the final three frames with four walks and two whiffs.

"Today, we showed we can play with anyone," said Keene State head coach Carrah Fisk Hennessey.  "Carissa pitched an absolute gem and Elyse and Grace were hot at the plate.  The second game reiterated our need to lock in every pitch of every inning.  We left far too many on base (8) and Eastern took advantage of the one inning where we lacked focus.  We are making contact at the plate and getting outs on defense – consistency and attention to detail are a work in progress."

"After game two, the Eastern coaching staff complimented our performance and growth.  Staying for the post-competition celebration to honor Laura Zenk (Eastern Connecticut '22) reminded us that this is so much more than a game."

KSC returns home to host the University of Southern Maine on Tuesday, April 16 at 3:00 p.m.