KEENE, N.H. – Senior
Luke Sokolski (Waterford, Conn.) reached base four times and Plymouth State University had the bases loaded with one out in the ninth inning, but Keene State College was able to fend off the Panthers' rally in game one of a Little East Conference (LEC) double header at Owl Athletic Complex on Friday afternoon.
Game one was filled with drama, as Plymouth State needed a sweep to keep its postseason hopes alive, while the Owls would secure a spot in the LEC Tournament with a victory. KSC raced out to a 6-0 lead after two innings, but the Panthers would chip away. Trailing 8-5 headed to the ninth, Plymouth State rallied. A hit batter and back-to-back walks loaded the bases with no outs. PSU got one run on a sacrifice fly and another hit batsman reloaded the bases. Junior
Scooter Summa (Ellicott City, Md.) made it a one-run game with a single through the right side, moving the tying run to third and the go-ahead run into scoring position. The Owls escaped, though not without controversy. The umpires conferred after they disagreed on a check swing call that resulted in strike three, before a second strikeout ended the game.
Game two remained a tight battle throughout the bulk of the game. Keene State used a two-out rally to take a 2-0 lead in the third and the Panthers' offense was held in check through the first six innings. Senior
Jack Marsden (Broadalbin, N.Y.) singled to start the seventh and additional base hits from junior
Cole Johnston (Campton, N.H.) and freshman
Josh Worthington (Pownal, Vt.) made it a one-run game. Sokolski and Marsden started the eighth with back-to-back hits and PSU would tie the game on a fielder's choice. The Panthers were positioned to take the lead, but a line drive turned into a double play and the Owls exploded for six runs in the bottom of the inning for an 8-2 victory.
Plymouth State ends the season with a record of 9-20 (4-12 LEC), while the Owls even out at 20-20 (8-8 LEC).
The Basics:
- GAME ONE: Plymouth State 7, Keene State 8
- GAME TWO: Plymouth State 2, Keene State 8
- Plymouth State (9-20, 4-12 LEC)
- Keene State (20-20, 8-8 LEC)
How it Happened (Game One):
- The Owls raced out to a 6-0 lead over the first two innings.
- Junior Owen Baum (Saint Michaels, Md.) singled to start the third and an error put two runners on. Later in the frame, Baum crossed the plate on a passed ball to get the Panthers on the board.
- Plymouth State loaded the bases in the fifth. Worthington singled, senior Jackson Curtis (Jefferson, N.H.) reached on a bunt hit and Sokolski drew a walk before a wild pitch allowed Worthington to score to pull within 6-2.
- The Owls got the run back in the bottom of the inning.
- Clutch two-out hits from graduate student Alex Rives (Gilford, N.H.) and Curtis further trimmed the deficit in the sixth. After a one-out walk, Worthington ripped a two-out double to put runners on second and third. Rives pulled a two-strike single through the left side to plate both runners and Curtis followed with an RBI double to pull within 7-5.
- Keene State made it 8-5 with a solo homer in the bottom of the frame.
- The Panthers promptly loaded the bases in the ninth as Sokolski was hit by a pitch and consecutive walks put the tying runs on base with nobody out. Junior Sam Malgeri (Stratham, N.H.) put a charge into a low pitch, driving it to deep center field, but his bid for extra bases was hauled in with an outstanding catch resulting in a sacrifice fly to pull within 8-6.
- Graduate student Nick Healey (Campton, N.H.) fouled off several pitches before taking a pitch off the arm to reload the bases and Summa lashed a single to right on the first pitch he saw to make it a one-run game. Keene State got the second out on a controversial check swing call, before a strikeout ended the game.
By the Numbers (Game One):
- Rives went 2-for-6 with a double, two RBI and a run scored.
- Curtis reached base three times with a single, double and walk in four plate appearances. He also drove in a run.
- Worthington singled and doubled in five at bats, scoring twice.
- Sokolski walked three times and scored a run, while Healey walked twice and was hit by a pitch.
- Senior Eoin Hamell-Kelleher (Attleboro, Mass.) was solid in relief, allowing just three hits and one run in three innings while striking out five.
- Junior Adrian Siravo (Gilmanton, N.H.) struck out five in his five innings.
How it Happened (Game Two):
- Base runners were hard to come by in game two.
- Worthington worked a walk in the third but was stranded and Keene State strung together three straight two-out hits to take a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the inning.
- Sophomore Brendan Flynn (Arlington, Mass.) drew a walk in the fourth but did not advance.
- Classmate Chris Faherty (Phoenix, Ariz.) smacked a single in the sixth but again the Panthers came up empty.
- Marsden led off the seventh with a pinch hit single but was erased on a fielder's choice. Johnston poked a base hit to center and Worthington followed with a run-scoring single to left to cut the deficit in half. Baum drew a walk to load the bases, but a fly ball ended the threat.
- Sokolski and Marsden singled with one down in the eighth and junior Danny Quinn (Holliston, Mass.) tied the game with a fielder's choice. Plymouth State would load the bases on Siravo's single, but the Panthers ran into bad luck when a liner was snared by the shortstop and the runner was doubled up.
- Keene State erupted for six runs in the bottom of the inning and PSU was unable to rally in the ninth.
By the Numbers (Game Two):
- Marsden went 2-for-2 to record a multi-hit game.
- Five other Panthers had singles.
- Worthington was on base twice with a hit and a walk. He drove in one.
- Freshman Elias Bourque (Nashua, N.H.) struck out eight over seven solid innings.
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