CLERMONT, Fla. – The Keene State College softball team scored six runs in the first inning and led 8-2 through three as they cruised to an 11-3, six-inning win over Salem State University on Monday afternoon at the Legends Way Ballfields.  It marked the milestone first career coaching win for Haley Chandler '13, who returned to her alma mater after a standout career to be the head coach this past summer.  The Owls fell in the day's second game 8-0 to Endicott College in five innings, making two errors in a three-run fifth that ended the game.

Coming off a two-hit, 13 strikeout showing in the opener on Sunday, KSC (1-2) used patience to build a big two out uprising to take a commanding lead in the first.  Liv Whittier's walk proved to be the beginning of a stretch where eight consecutive Owls reached in what turned a scoreless game into a 5-0 advantage as the Vikings' (2-1) staff struggled mightily to find the strike zone.  Abby Weiterman and Abbie Monkevicz followed Whittier's walk with a pair of singles, the latter of which from Monkevicz driving in the game's first run.  Salem State starter Alanis Toledano (1-1) then issued four consecutive walks – two on four pitches – to balloon the KSC lead to 4-0 and end a very brief start in which she 30 balls and 15 strikes.  Sula Roberge entered in relief, but proceeded to walk Elyse Picard on four pitchers to force in another run before a wild pitch during Kalle Halvorsen's at bat made it 6-0.

That proved to be more than enough run support for Megan Strzegowski, who allowed three runs (two earned) over four innings to get the win.  She struck out four, including pinch-hitter Gianna Fowler with one out in the third with two runners in scoring position after Salem State trimmed their deficit to 7-2 with three consecutive hits including an RBI double from Taylor McDermott and a base hit for Dawn Eisnor.

Keene State was never seriously threatened after that, as they plated in eighth run in the bottom half when Picard led off with a line drive double to the left center gap before an error and a grounder to short brought her around.  Two more of SSU's 12 free passes issued in the game loaded the bases a short time later, but a looking strikeout prevented the Owls from doing more damage.

The Vikings made it 8-3 in the fourth on a Samantha Gaona-Sullivan RBI single, but newcomer Shay Webb whiffed two in two scoreless innings in the fifth and sixth before KSC ended the game with a three-run sixth on a wild pitch, sacrifice fly, and laced single to right by Allison Adams.  It ended a modest three-game winning streak for Salem State, who defeated Trinity College (Conn.) – a 24-win team a season ago – 14-11 earlier in the day.  Trinity also lost in a 9-1 blowout to LEC member Plymouth State University.

Toledano (1-1) lasted just 0.2 innings and nine batters in the loss, allowing two hits and six runs while walking six.  Roberge issued five free passes herself while striking out three.

Picard finished 2-for-2 with two runs batted in and two walks to pace KSC's offense out of the top spot in the lineup.

"We did a great job jumping all over them," said Chandler.  "They were coming off a win in the previous game and our plan was to take the wind out of their sails as soon as possible, and we did exactly that."

It was remarkably, given that the two New England-based schools are slightly less than two hours apart, the first meeting between the teams since 2006.  Only one of the seven meetings (which KSC has won all of) – in Keene in 1998 – has been played outside the state of Florida.

The nightcap did not go the Owls' way, as they were completely shut down by Kristen Beebe (2-0) and Endicott (2-2) in an 8-0 loss.  KSC was held hitless and managed just two walks while striking out eight times.  No. 6 batter Caitlyn Romero (2-2) and No. 9 hitter Kylyn McLaren (1-2) each drove in three of the Gulls' runs, who scored three times in the second and two in the third to build a 5-0 advantage.  They then ended the game by scoring three (two unearned) in the bottom of the fifth as KSC made a pair of miscues.

Lilah Demmy (0-2) started and took the loss for the Owls, allowing six hits and five runs over four innings while walking three and striking out five.

Beebe's effort required 79 pitches, 46 of which were strikes.  In their two defeats, KSC has struck out 21 times.  Their only baserunners today came when Weiterman worked a two out walk in the first and when Morgan Rodrigues took a free pass two batters into the fifth.  The Owls actually had two on in a 5-0 game after Lily Mandel reached on a fielder's choice thanks to Abby McCaflin botched the throw at short, but a grounder to third and a grounder back to the pitcher ended the inning.

"It was a tough game," said Chandler.  "They are a team who knows how to win, they hit well, and Beebe throws gas and hits her spots well.  They hit the ball where we weren't and we had some untimely mistakes.  We got beat but our heads are up…on to the next."

The Owls take on Keuka College (2:00 p.m.) and Wesleyan University (Conn.) (4:15 p.m.) on Tuesday (March 18) in Clermont at Hancock Park.  The Wolves have dropped their first two games of the season by a combined 18 runs while the Cardinals are 10-0, outscoring opponents 77-15.