BRISTOL, R.I. – The Keene State College baseball team could not hold leads of 5-0 in the third and 7-6 in the seventh as they tumbled to their fourth loss in the last five games, dropping a 12-7 decision to Roger Williams University on Thursday afternoon at Paolino Field.

KSC (4-8) has dropped three straight and four of five overall, with two of the losses coming when their offense put up 11 and seven runs, respectively.  They sprinted out to a big lead against the Hawks (5-7), who they beat 10-5 in Keene in a rain-shortened contest last year, but could not hold it as they lost for the sixth time in the last seven games in the series.

After Owl starter Nate Pirog escape a two-on, nobody out jam in the first inning, KSC jumped out in front against Nolan Niziol with a two-run second that began with a walk to Lucas Rogers and an infield single for Jonathan Chatfield.  Both advanced on a passed ball before Ethan Rainha brought Rogers home with a ground ball to short.  The hot-hitting Anthony DiGiacomo, who had another multi-hit effort, followed with an RBI single to make it 2-0.  Pirog engineered a shutdown second inning that included a pair of whiffs, and the Owls tacked onto their lead in the third with a two-out rally that included RBI doubles for Rainha and DiGiacomo.

The comfortable five-run lead was immediately chopped to two when the Hawks got a three-run homer from cleanup hitter Rory Lynch with one out in the third.  It was the home team's only hit of the inning, which began with a hit batter on an 0-2 pitch and a four-pitch walk.

KSC had a chance to answer in the fourth when Evan Cali led off with a double and Ahlers reached on an error with one out to put two on, but a pair of fly outs kept it 5-3, and the Hawks then drew within one (5-4) by homering for the second consecutive inning, this time a solo shot for No. 8 hitter Nick Sheehan to start the frame.  Ethan Keeney followed with a double to put the tying run in scoring position, but Pirog got out of the inning by inducing a 6-4-3 double play from Mike Masino.  The KSC starter's day was done after a five-pitch walk to begin the bottom of the fifth, with Liam Conley coming in and retiring the next three in order.

The Owls got a run back in the sixth to make it 6-4 when Ahlers singled home Cali, but KSC was again in immediate trouble in the bottom half when Sheehan doubled to the left center gap.  An error on a ground ball to second off the bat of Noah Hester that would have ended the inning proved very costly, as Masino and Sam Weigel each followed with run-scoring base hits that tied the game.

Chatfield, who is 11 for his last 22 (a span of five games), cracked a 1-0 pitch for a solo shot two batters into the seventh to help the Owls snatch the lead back, but things went downhill again after that.  Alec Varano was picked off second with the bases loaded and two down to end the inning, and a four-pitch walk began the bottom of the seventh, with that runner (Will Florio) advancing to third on a ground ball and base hit before scoring on a passed ball to tie the game 7-7.  Keeney followed with an RBI single to left to give the Hawks their first lead of the day.

It seemed the Owls had a golden chance to tie the game when Ryan Camp walked Luke Anderson and hit Ahlers to start the eighth, but a fielder's choice and a 6-3 double play quickly ended that threat.  KSC then made an error, walked two, and hit a batter while allowing three unearned runs in RWU's four-run eighth that helped put the game away.

The late innings have proved to be a tell-tale sign of how games go for the Owls.  In the sixth through the eighth in their eight losses, they have been outscored 47-15, while in their four wins they have allowed only two runs total in those frames.  Overall in their eight losses, they have struggled to contain opposing offenses, pitching to a 9.44 ERA while allowing nine home runs and a .380 opposing batting average.

"We jumped out in front early and then Roger Williams made all the winning plays, pitches, and swings the rest of the way," said KSC head coach Justin Blood.  "This game will punish you when you play on your heels and give way free nineties.  Our resolve is being tested and so far we haven't responded."

Cantafi (0-2) took the loss, allowing two hits and four runs in one inning of work with two walks and two strikeouts.  Pirog went four-plus innings, giving up six hits and four runs with three walks and five strikeouts.  KSC's staff struck out nine (six more than the Hawks) but walked six in the game and hit two others.

Niziol was ineffective, allowing seven hits and five runs with two walks and one whiff, but was taken off the hook by his team's rally.  Camp (1-0), despite allowing a hit and a walk while getting just one out, got the win.  Matthew Donovan shut down KSC's chance in the eighth and wound up getting his first save.

Chatfield had his second four-hit outing in the past four games while scoring three times and hitting his first home run of the season.

Keene State continues their stretch of four consecutive days with a game tomorrow (Friday, March 21) when they visit the University of Hartford (7-7) at 2:30 p.m.  Roger Williams, who was playing for a third straight day, hosts Suffolk University (5-9) in a conference doubleheader on Saturday at noon.