WEST HARTFORD, Conn. – Evan Cali and Luke Anderson launched back-to-back home runs to spoil Jeffrey Blake's strong start, and the Keene State College baseball team went on to score eight more runs in the next inning as they pummeled the University of Hartford 12-6 in non-conference action Friday afternoon at Fiondella Field.

The Owls (5-8) improved to 3-0 against the Hawks (7-8), the former home of head coach Justin Blood, over the past two seasons, outscoring them 22-8.

KSC got off to a slow start against Blake, who held them to only one hit – a leadoff single on the third pitch of the game by Cali – through the first four innings.  Hartford took an early 2-0 lead in the second after Nico DiGioia singled and Tyler Shannon doubled, with both scoring on consecutive sacrifice flies.

A fifth inning that seemed harmless to start, with a comebacker to the mound and an error to start the frame, wound up changing the complexion of the game as Anderson roped a two-run shot over the right field fence to tie the game with two outs.  Cali followed with a solo shot of his own to suddenly put the Owls up 3-2, and that was only a precursor to what came next – an eight-run sixth that began with four straight hits including an RBI double by Lucas Rogers and a run-scoring single from Shea Zina.

Anderson later came through with a two-run double that made it 8-3, and Rogers added one of his own that plated two for an 11-3 advantage.  Overall, KSC sent 12 batters to the plate and recorded seven hits.  Cali had a three-hit game with the homer and also walked and stole a base, while Anderson was 2-for-5 with a double, home run, and drove in three.

Jake Jachym (1-1) kept the ball mostly on the ground and got the win, going 6.1 innings while allowing eight hits and five runs.  He whiffed five and induced seven ground ball outs in 90 pitches.

Jeffrey Blake (0-1), despite a promising first four innings, wound up surrendering eight hits and seven runs in five-plus innings with one free pass and three strikeouts.
"We got timely hitting today," said KSC head coach Justin Blood.  "A couple big blasts swung the momentum and then the big inning changed the game.  Jake was great on the mound today.  He commanded the baseball and stayed in control of the game.  We played clean defensively and turned some big double plays."

One of those turns came to end a shutdown sixth inning after the Owls took the eight-run advantage, and another in the seventh to snuff out a big Hartford inning after they drew within 11-5.

Anderson is hitting .311 and has come through with five multi-hit games to lengthen the lineup.

"Luke has been really solid offensively," said Blood.  "He had a great fall and has continued to have confident at bats into the spring."

The Owls engineered their fifth double-digit scoring output of the season and improved to 4-1 in such games.

KSC continues their weekend in Hartford tomorrow (Saturday, March 22) when they take on Wheaton College (Mass.) at 2:30 p.m. before taking on the Hawks again on Sunday at noon.