PLYMOUTH, N.H. – Senior
Rachyl Parslow (Temple, N.H.) had a pair of key RBI and sophomore
Kaity Montelongo (South Paris, Maine) reached base three times to help Plymouth State University earn a double header split with Keene State College in Little East Conference (LEC) softball action at D&M Park on Tuesday afternoon.
Trailing 3-0 in game two, Parslow's RBI triple sparked a three-run third to tie the game. Graduate student
Emily Picard (Berlin, N.H.) dropped down a surprise squeeze bunt in the sixth to score the go-ahead run and Parslow and Montelongo added run-scoring hits as PSU earned the split with a 6-3 win in the night cap.
Opening up the home slate, the Panthers got on the board early with a run in the top of the first of game one. Keene State scored three in the top of the fourth and the score would remain the same the rest of the way. PSU had plenty of traffic on the basepaths but ran into bad luck as several hard-hit balls were right at the Keene State fielders.
Plymouth State ends the day at 11-9 (2-2 LEC), while the Owls move to 6-16 (2-4 LEC).
The Basics:
- Game 1: Plymouth State 1, Keene State 3
- Game 2: Plymouth State 6, Keene State 3
- Plymouth State (11-9, 2-2 LEC)
- Keene State (6-16, 2-4 LEC)
How it Happened (Game One):
- PSU jumped out to a quick lead with a run in the first. Montelongo reached on an error and graduate student Lauren Archambault (Rehoboth, Mass.) singled. Sophomore Mia Ly (Lowell, Mass.) drove in a run with an RBI ground out and the Panthers almost had another run but the Keene State centerfielder made a diving catch of a liner off the bat of senior Sam McCann (Berlin, N.H.).
- The Panthers were robbed of a run in the second. Picard walked and would have scored on Parslow's drive to the left field fence, but the ball rolled out of play for a ground rule double and PSU was unable to score.
- Keene pushed three runs across in the top of the fourth to take the lead.
- Sophomore Jade Guertin (Oakland, R.I.) smashed a double to the left centerfield gap in the bottom of the inning, but a ground ball and hard lineout ended the inning.
- Freshman Emily Bessette (Cranston, R.I.) ripped a one-out double to the centerfield fence in the fifth but was stranded.
- PSU brought the tying run to the plate again in the bottom of the seventh after Archambault's walk, but Keene State was able to hold on for the win.
By the Numbers (Game One):
- Guertin finished 2-for-3 with a double and a single, while Bessette (double, walk) and Archambault (single, walk) both reached twice.
- Three of PSU's five hits were doubles.
- Plymouth State had four steals in the game.
- Freshman Emily Antrim (Limerick, Maine) struck out four and allowed seven hits in the complete game setback.
How it Happened (Game Two):
- KSC had runners on second and third with one down in the top of the first, but Montelongo made a heads up play to get the lead runner at the plate on a grounder to third and McGrath retired the next hitter to end the threat.
- The Owls got a pair of two-out hits with runners on to take a 3-0 lead in the top of the third.
- Plymouth State answered right back in the bottom half. Guertin smoked a leadoff double to left center and Parslow tripled to right to make it 3-1. Montelongo walked and stole second and Archambault reached safely on an error to score another run. A steal and infield hit loaded the bases and the Panthers tied the score on McCann's sacrifice fly.
- McGrath worked out of two-out jams in the fifth and sixth to keep the game tied and PSU's bats came alive in the bottom of the sixth.
- McCann clubbed a double to left center and pinch runner Nicole LeBrun (Concord, N.H.) moved to third on a ground out. Picard dropped down a successful bunt on a squeeze play to put the Panthers ahead and Parslow followed with a run-scoring single. Montelongo added an RBI single to push the margin to 6-3.
- McGrath recorded the first out of the seventh before giving up a single. Sophomore Madison Pelletier (New Gloucester, Maine) came on in relief to pick up the save.
By the Numbers (Game Two):
- Parslow went 2-for-3 with a triple, two RBI and two runs scored.
- Montelongo reached base three times with a pair of singles and a walk in three plate appearances, scoring one and driving in a run.
- Guertin has been hot at the plate of late, going 7-for-13 with two doubles and a triple over her last four games.
- Bessette is riding a five-game hitting streak, while Archambault extended her on-base streak to eight straight games.
- McGrath improved to 5-2 after giving up three runs over 6.1 innings. Pelletier picked up her first career save.
- The Panthers have won 12 of the last 16 meetings.
Up Next:
- PSU heads to Husson University for a pair of non-conference games on Thursday (Apr. 13) starting at 3:00 p.m.
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