Keene State Clips Fitchburg State, 11-9

Boice post three hits and three RBI in Falcons non-conference setback

KEENE N.H. (April 21, 2011) – Keene State scored three runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to post an 8-6 lead and rally past the Fitchburg State baseball team, 11-9 in non-conference action this afternoon.  

Trailing by one heading into the bottom of the sixth inning, Keene State erupted for six runs over the next two frames to clinch its 22nd victory of the season.  Senior Tyler DiParto (Suffield, Conn./Suffield) led the Owls sixth inning charge with a two-run single, while junior Kyle Morrill (Auburn, N.H./Memorial) and sophomore Greg Bates (Salem, N.H./Salem) connected for RBI hits in the seventh.

The Owls opened the contest with an early lead, posting three runs on three hits in the bottom of the first tinning, but Fitchburg State answered in the top of the third, scoring four times to take a 4-3 lead. Sophomore Jeff Boice (Glastonbury, Conn./Glastonbury) connected for a two-run single to spark the rally, while classmate Matt Zajac (New Hartford, Conn./St. Paul) touched home following his leadoff single.

Keene knotted the score at 4-4 in the bottom half of the stanza but Fitchburg State plated single runs over the fourth and fifth frames to take a 6-4 advantage. Zajac connected again for an RBI double in the fourth, while Boice added an RBI base-hit in the fifth.

Down the stretch, Fitchburg State continued to battle, posting single runs in the seventh, eighth and ninth innings, but the Falcons rally ended quickly in the ninth as Keene State pitcher Shawn Egan (E. Hartford, Conn./E. Catholic) induced a game-ending double-play to close the door.      

Boice led the Fitchburg State offense, going 3-for-5 with a trio of singles and three RBI, while Zajac finished 2-for-2 with a double, one run scored and one RBI. Freshman David Mason (Leominster, Mass./Leominster) and sophomore Cody Bamforth (Vernon, Conn./Rockville) added two hits apiece on the afternoon.

Freshman Pat Mercier (Townsend, Mass./Saint Bernards) took the loss for Fitchburg State, yielding three runs and two hits over one inning of relief. The Falcons sent six pitchers to the mound on the afternoon as sophomore Josh Therrian (Gardner, Mass./Gardner) started the contest. Therrian tossed the first two innings for the Falcons, surrendering three runs (one earned), while classmate Randy Ortiz, Jr. (Danielson, Conn./Killingly) followed with two innings of work and only one run allowed.

Fitchburg State (13-14, 3-5 MASCAC) returns to action on tomorrow as it hosts Framingham State at 2 p.m. Keene State (22-8, 5-3 LEC) will host UMass Boston tomorrow at 1 p.m.