Box Score KEENE, N.H. – First year outfielder
Jayme Kiley cracked a walk-off two-run double with one out in the bottom of the seventh to propel the Keene State College softball team to a 5-4 victory over Lasell University in the opener of a non-conference doubleheader on Thursday afternoon at the Owl Athletic Complex. The teams got two and a half innings in of the second game before a 20-minute torrential downpour put the field underwater and an end to the day.
Despite a somewhat tame day offensively, it seemed like it might be a relatively ho-hum victory for the Owls (13-10) in the first game, as they took a 2-0 lead thanks to single runs in the second and third and then answered Lasell's (10-16) fifth inning run with one of their own to make it 3-1. It stayed that way into the seventh, and first year
Marina Gronbach then retired the first two Lasers on just three pitches, but the visitors then engineered a stunning comeback, posting four consecutive hits to score four times and suddenly take the lead, their first all day. The rally began with a single by Abigail Fortin down the left field line and Alyssa Bland then sent a base hit up the middle to put the tying run on base. Madalen Brown made things even more interesting with a single to center that also left the tying run at third and the go-ahead run at second after the throw in, and that proved costly when Adreanna Ventullo sent an 0-1 pitch down the left field line that landed just inches fair.
However, one of the impressive traits of the young Owls this season has been their fight – and it was evident once again today, as they regrouped for a comeback of their own. It began with
Elyse Picard getting plunked, and
Abby Weiterman then walked to put the tying run in scoring position and the go-ahead run at first. Shyanne Raccio then got
Gianna Garofola swinging, but Kiley smoked a line drive double over Emma Tarleton's head on a 3-1 pitch to help deliver the Owls an important momentum-saving victory.
Kiley was one of three people in KSC's order with multiple hits, finishing 2-for-4 and driving in three of the Owls' five runs. Picard was 2-for-2 with a double while Garofola was 2-for-4 with an RBI. Kiley got the Owls on the board in the second with a hard-hit single into left that scored Garofola, who had poked a base hit into center and moved up a base when the ball got under Brown's glove. Picard then walked and stole second with nobody out before scoring on Garofola's one-out base hit into left that made it 2-0.
Gronbach induced plenty of weak contact all day, especially over the opening six innings in which Lasell managed just four singles. The rookie induced 11 ground ball outs, and KSC made all the plays as they posted an errorless game. Despite the stunning seventh, she still picked up her first career collegiate victory, allowing eight hits and four runs in the complete game. She walked four, but threw only 96 pitches.
Raccio (3-11) allowed eight hits and five runs (three earned) in 6.1 innings, walking four and whiffing two. She threw 131 pitches.
Bland finished 3-for-4 for the Lasers while Riley Michael was 2-for-2.
Before the nightcap could heat up, the skies opened and caused its postponement with standing water all over the infield. Lasell took a 1-0 lead in the first on Ashlyn McCampbell's sacrifice fly to account for the only scoring. The Lasers had loaded the bases with one out, but
Hailey Merrill limited the damage to just one run in her first career collegiate start, striking out Michael to end the inning. Merrill then faced just four in the second, including another whiff before Picard threw out Sophie Arena stealing, and then fired a 1-2-3 third.
Fortin pitched two hitless innings to begin her outing for Lasell, walking one and striking out one.
"We have only had a couple complete games this year, and I am so proud of Marina for commanding the circle not having thrown since March and getting the job done," said KSC head coach Haley Chandler. "She and Gianna mixed speeds and locations and kept hitters off-balance really well today. The defense was solid too. The left side of the infield was really busy and stayed cool, calm, and collected. And
Jayme Kiley, man…what a timely blast. She waited so well on that changeup, something we have been working on lately. Our first walk-off win of the season!"
KSC is back at home on Saturday for a Little East Conference doubleheader against the University of Southern Maine (17-8, 1-5 LEC) at 1:00 p.m.
