KEENE, N.H. – Freshman infielder Jonathan Chatfield hit a three-run home run and doubled while classmate Troy Brennan pitched four hitless innings of relief with four strikeouts for his first career win as the Keene State College baseball team staved off Salem State University 4-3 in their 2023 Owl Athletic Complex opener Tuesday afternoon.

Records

• Keene State:  6-10
• Salem State:  2-11

Postgame Interview (Coach Blood)
Postgame Interview (Jonathan Chatfield)
Postgame Interview (Troy Brennan)

How It Happened
In search of more offense after a string of three consecutive games where KSC could not muster much including in a doubleheader Sunday at Eastern Nazarene College, the Owls found just enough in their first home game since last May – mostly from an emerging middle of the order threat in Chatfield, who has eight extra-base hits in 47 at bats (five doubles, one triple, and now two runs) including two today as he drove in three of his team's four runs.  He then scored on a passed ball to account for the fourth, and KSC otherwise relied on a trio of arms to win in the first of five scheduled home games this week after the Owls played their first 15 contests away from home.  It was a much different lineup than when Keene State took the field on May 6 of last year in a doubleheader against the University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth, with six of nine lineup spots occupied by freshman and 21 newcomers overall.

Salem State, who lost to the Owls 9-3 in Myrtle Beach 15 days ago, was actually first on the scoreboard on this day as Ryan Bourgeois plated a pair with a two-run single with two down in the top of the first.  The Vikings had three hits in that frame, but KSC silenced their offense quickly from there, holding them to just five hits (all singles) over the next eight innings and only one run, which scored on a wild pitch.

KSC put two on in the first when Tommy Ahlers singled to left to lead off and Chatfield drew a one-out walk, but came up empty and did not get to SSU starter Jake Usenia until the third.  One they did, however, the hits kept coming, as the Owls racked up five in the inning, none bigger than Chatfield's blast to right center on the first pitch of his second at-bat that also plated Ahlers (single) and Hamilton Barnes (double) that made it 3-2.  Nathaniel Hudson and Brendan Eaton recorded hard-hit singles after the long ball as the Owls searched for more, but came up empty and from there it was mostly a quick-moving pitcher's duel between the two starters and five other relievers.

Brennan emerged as the pitching standout of the day on either side, however, mowing down the Vikings in the middle innings.  The Wilton, N.H. native retired the first 10 batters he faced until issuing a walk to Chris Simone, and then got Brahiam Ortega to fly out before Evan Cali threw out Simone trying to steal second by a wide margin to end the top of the seventh in what was a 4-2 game.  KSC's fourth run came in the fifth thanks to a leadoff double from Chatfield, who advanced to third on a fly to center and then scored on a passed ball with two outs.

Brennan (1-0) overall fired four nearly perfect innings aside from the walk and struck out four for his first career win.

Shea Zina picked up his third save, striking out two in a relatively easy ninth inning after a wobbly eighth inning that saw the Vikings draw within one (4-3) on a pair of singles, an intentional walk (on a 2-0 count) and two wild pitches.  Bourgeois, who had SSU's only RBI on the day, had a chance with two runners in scoring position to provide the Vikings what would likely have been a surprising lead after their offense was silenced for much of the day, but Zina froze him to end the inning.

McKeighan allowed five hits and two runs in three innings, striking out two in the no decision.

Usenia (1-1) was tagged for three runs on seven hits in four innings.  He walked one and struck out four.

KSC finished with 10 hits offensively from eight different people.  Beyond Chatfield (2-3, HR, 2B, 3 RBI, BB, 2 R), Ahlers was 2-for-5 and scored a run.  Hudson was 1-for-3 and reached on a free pass, as did Evan McCue.

Jake Boucher finished 2-for-4 with a run for Salem State, who did not have an extra-base hit.

Around the Horn

• Chatfield has recorded a hit in 12 of his first 15 career games, while Ahlers' two hits marked his fourth multi-hit effort.  The pair has combined to hit .310 with nine doubles, one triple, two home runs, and 11 RBI this far in their careers.
• Brennan has allowed two earned runs and struck out eight in his first 7.2 career innings, holding opponents to a .172 average.
• Keene State has won three straight in the series and now leads it 5-2.  Remarkably, the Vikings had not played a game in Keene since 1999.

Up Next

• The Owls are right back at it tomorrow (Wednesday, March 29) when they host Springfield College (6-8-1) at 3:00 p.m.  The Pride will be playing their fourth game in the last four days.
• Salem State, who has lost eight in a row, hosts Worcester State University (4-10) to begin conference play on Friday, March 31.  First pitch is at 3:00 p.m.  The Lancers have lost seven straight, including four in a row by one run.