Panthers to host six home games this weekend

            KEENE, N.H. – The Keene State College softball team swept a Little East Conference doubleheader from rival Plymouth State University, 6-2 and 4-2, Wednesday afternoon at the Owl Athletic Complex.

            Sophomore Kayla Joyce knocked in two runs to lead the Owls to a win in the first game, and junior Laura Chandler belted a grand slam and junior pitcher Sara Stocklinski improved her record to 11-0 in Keene State's victory in the nightcap.

Playing their final home regular-season games of the season, the Owls improve to 27-8-1 (9-3 LEC).  Plymouth State falls to 15-16 (3-7 LEC).

            Keene State scored two runs in the bottom of the first and third innings to take a 4-0 lead in the opener.  Joyce singled down the right field line to bring home two runs in the first.  The Owls scored their two runs in the fourth on an error and ground out.

            The Panthers got two runs back in the fifth on RBI singles from senior Kortney Nedeau (Kennebunk, Maine) and freshman Sam Hebert (Manchester, N.H.).

            Junior Emily Albin (Bethel, Conn.) got the win in the circle, improving her record to 11-4.  She went 6.1 innings, giving up two runs on four hits with eight strikeouts and four walks. Freshman Amber White (Middleboro, Mass.), now 9-8, took the loss for PSU.

            Sophomore Nicole Dupuis's RBI single gave KSC a 1-0 first inning lead in the second game. Plymouth State tied the game in the third inning on a run-producing single from freshman Jackie Digman (Burlington, Mass.).  The Owls got the run right back in the bottom of the inning on a RBI double from Joyce.

            Coming up with the bases loaded in the fourth, Chandler hit a fly ball that carried just over the fence in left field to clear the bases and give the Owls a 6-1 lead.  It was the third home run of the season for Chandler, the LEC's offensive player of the week.

            Freshman Taylor Mancini (Gansevoort, N.Y.) hit a solo home run for PSU in the seventh to account for the final score.

            Keene State had 10 hits in the second game.  Dupuis and Joyce each had two hits.  Digman and Mancini each had two hits for the Panthers in the nightcap. Stocklinski got the complete-game win for the Owls.  She gave up two runs on five hits with seven strikeouts and three walks in her seven innings of work.  Freshman Nora Galvin (Windham, N.H.) tossed the first 3.1 innings for PSC and took the loss (5-8).

            Plymouth State returns home to play doubleheaders at D&M Park Friday, Saturday and Sunday, beginning with a non-conference make-up twinbill Friday against Framingham State University.  KSC wraps up its regular season Saturday at conference-leading Eastern Connecticut. 

(Courtesy of Keene State Sports Information) 

-- 30 --