KEENE, N.H. – Led by a top three in the order that combined for nine hits and six runs batted in, the Keene State College baseball team had seven multi-hit efforts overall in the second game of a Little East Conference doubleheader on Sunday afternoon at the Owl Athletic Complex.  And their arms backed the cause, especially David Floyd and Evan LeVasseur who combined to strike out eight over six innings while allowing just two hits, as the Owls dismantled the University of Massachusetts-Boston 11-2 to improve to 3-1 in league play.  The victory came hours after KSC suffered a sour 15-13 loss to the Beacons in which they had leads of 5-1, 11-7, and finally 13-10 heading into the final three outs but allowed five in the final inning while making two costly errors.

Postgame Interview (Coach Blood)
Postgame Interview (Jonathan Chatfield/Evan Cali)

As the Owls (8-10, 3-1 LEC) continue in their quest for consistency overall – there is one thing that has been unquestionably consistent: the offense, which is now hitting .336 as a team over 18 games with a .908 OPS.  That would be the third best average in program history were it to maintain, and through nearly half the season, it has.  KSC has scored double-digit runs in four of their last five games.

But perhaps the most important element of the day came when the Owls' five arms mowed down the Beacons (9-8, 3-1 LEC) in the second contest, limiting the visitors to just six hits (four singles) – with half of that total coming in the eighth and ninth innings when they trailed 9-1.  Keene State saw again the formula when both phases click, and when all added together, the results look good.  Just like in the opener of the day, the Owls pounced all over the Beacons early, taking a 2-0 lead in the first on Jonathan Chatfield's two-run single into the left center gap.  The home team added four more in the third including a run-scoring base hit up the middle for Evan Cali and an RBI single from Otis Follet to build a 6-1 advantage.  They were not done there, making it 8-1 in the fourth after another RBI hit from Chatfield and a Lucas Rogers sacrifice fly.  UMass-Boston had no answers for Floyd, who substantially cooled the top of the Beacons' order – and Elliot Miles in particular – after their confidence-boosting rally in the opener.  The senior righty struck out a pair in both the second and fourth innings before being lifted as he continues to work his way back to full strength after a delayed start to the season.  Equally as impressive was LeVasseur (2-0), who needed only 13 pitches to strike out the side in order in the fifth and then got a ground out and two weak popups in the infield for an easy sixth.  Leading 9-2 entering the bottom half of the eighth, Follet cracked a two-run double to plate Chatfield and Anthony DiGiacomo, who had consecutive one-out singles.
Jonny Pagano (2-1) took the loss for UMass-Boston, allowing 12 hits and eight runs in four innings with two strikeouts. 

The Owls also seemed poised to win the opener, rebounding from a 7-5 deficit to score six in the sixth to jump back in front by four after they had previously had a 5-1 lead.  The rally began with a single by Derek Finlay and he moved to third when Trevor Snow reached on a passed ball after striking out.  Both scored on an error on a grounder to third by Rogers.  KSC was not done though, as with a runner on second, UMB elected to intentionally walk Chatfield.  But that backfired when Jackson O'Brien then walked Follet on five pitches to clear the bases before Cali came through with what seemed like the most important hit of the game – a three-run triple to right center to put the Owls up 10-7.  Mitchell Coffey then drove him another with a sacrifice fly.

UMass-Boston rapidly got three of the runs back as Breon Parker walked, Nick Farnacci doubled, and Miles launched his second home run consecutively to begin the seventh, but Jayke Glidden got a fly ball and a double play to preserve the lead.  The Beacons also put the tying run on in the eighth when Chase Beloin walked, but Cali threw out pinch-runner Wes Sturrup by a mile at second base on a steal attempt to end the inning.  KSC seemed to gain further control when Cali doubled to lead off the bottom half before Coffey singled to put runners at the corners.  One insurance run came in on Evan McCue's double play, and Domminic Tagliaferro's then followed with a blast to left center for his first career long ball to make it 13-10.

The ninth inning snowballed badly on KSC, though, as after Parker singled to lead the inning off, Farnacci reached safely on a grounder to first base that was booted and would have been the first out.  Miles followed with a double to left that made it 13-11 and put the tying run in scoring position, but Brandon Gaer bounced back to Troy Brennan for the first out.  Ben Sherry then hit a bouncer to second that was going to bring Boston within one and put the tying run at third regardless, but the second miscue of the inning allowed him to reach – still with one out.  After Max Garner was plunked, Cole Bissaillon pulled a two-run double just inside the third base bag down the left field line to put the Beacons up 14-13.  The visitors tacked on one more on a sacrifice fly, and Alex Meesig (1-0) then fired a 10-pitch 1-2-3 ninth to hand the Owls a bitter defeat.

Troy Brennan (2-3) allowed three hits and five runs (one earned) and took the loss.

Six Owls had multi-hit games in the opener, including three hits and three RBI for Cali.  KSC could not control the top of the Beacons' order through, as they combined to go 8-for-14 with 10 RBI, 10 runs, and a walk.

The Owls have won three of their last four overall against UMass-Boston, with their home doubleheader sweep (10-0 and 9-5) a season ago acting as the catalyst to their 17-2 charge to the LEC championship.

KSC will travel to face Western New England University (9-8) on Wednesday (April 1) at 3:30 p.m. before hosting Westfield State University (3-14) on Thursday, April 2 at 3:00 p.m.