KSC Rolls Out to 11-1 Lead After Four Innings, Extends Winning Streak to Five With Ease

KEENE, N.H. – Keene State College freshman Jonathan Chatfield must feel right at home in the friendly confines of the Owl Athletic Complex early in his young career. And, in part because of it, Owls are now 8-1 overall since they their opened their 2023 home schedule on March 28 after they cruised to a 12-6 victory over New England College in non-conference action Monday afternoon.

Records

• Keene State:  13-11
• New England College:  7-14

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

How It Happened
When KSC entered their home opener against Salem State University on March 28, they had stumbled out of the gates to a 5-10 record while undergoing perhaps expected growing pains from a team that has 21 freshmen.  Two weeks later when they head on the road for a conference game at Castleton University tomorrow, the Owls will have won eight out of nine including three of four in the Little East and continue to demonstrate signs of growth, now moving to two games over .500.  While head coach Justin Blood will continue to preach the importance of continuous improvement in his young group, KSC had a productive day Monday – particularly early – as they removed most all of the suspense very quickly by scoring 11 runs in a three-inning span between the second and fourth.  New England College actually took a 1-0 lead in the second when Bryce Worth singled to lead off, moved to second after Harold Martinez was plunked, and scored on consecutive fly balls to center.  However, that advantage turned into a deficit after the opening three batters of the bottom half of the inning as Brendan Eaton, Nathaniel Hudson, and Junior Santos also roped hard-hit singles consecutively to make it 2-1.  That was only the beginning, as KSC had their way against NEC stater Alex Perez, who lasted 3.1 innings and allowed 11 runs (eight earned) on nine hits.  The biggest swing of the day likely came from Chatfield, who came up with the bases loaded and two outs in a 2-1 game after Wyatt Daft walked and Tommy Ahlers was plunked.  A strike out left the Owls in danger of leaving three on and leaving the inning up just one, but the Naugatuck, Conn. native made sure that would not be the case, taking a 1-1 pitch left over the middle to deep right-center – seemingly his spot – for a grand slam and a 6-1 lead.  Chatfield now has three of his four long balls at home this season (eight games).

Keene State starter Jack Lang fired a 1-2-3 third that included a strikeout for a key shutdown inning, rebounding from a rocky second frame, and the Owls kept tacking on.  Eaton stayed hot with a single to lead off the inning and moved to second on an errant pickoff attempt and third on a wild pitch before scoring on a shallow bloop single to right center from Ryan Mooney that made it 8-1.  Lang retired the Pilgrims once more in the fourth, and KSC piled on three more runs after that to reach double-digits.  With runners on the corners, Ahlers (reached on an error) and Hamilton Barnes (singled) executed a double-steal that resulted in a run.  Eaton later tacked on a two-run single that plated Barnes and Chatfield for a 10-1 edge, and after Perez was chased following a single by Hudson, Seth Balch eventually walked two in a row with two outs to force in another.

Leading 11-1, the Owls were well on their way.  Lang did hit a batter and walk two to start the fifth while also uncorking a wild pitch, but a 3-6 double play grounded into from Kyle Dobrie prevented any kind of big inning from developing despite NEC greeting within eight.  Evan Cali entered in relief on the mound in the sixth and bridged his team through the middle innings by retiring all six hitters he faced before Joe Schlehuber and Liam Conley pitched the eighth and ninth, respectively.  KSC made it 12-4 with a sacrifice fly by Ahlers in the eighth that extended his RBI streak to five consecutive games (nine in that span).

Five of New England College's six runs scored on something other than a hit.

Lang (2-0) pitched five innings and got the win, allowing two hits and three runs.  He walked two and struck out two.

Perez fell to 2-3, walking three and striking out four to go along with allowing the nine hits and 11 runs.

Four Owls had multi-hit games, with the sizzling Eaton going 3-for-4 with two RBI and three runs scored.  Barnes was 2-for-3 and stole four bases, while Brice Waldron was 2-for-2.  Chatfield drove in a team-best four runs, and now has 16, second on the team.

Around the Horn

• Chatfield is hitting .380 with three homers and 10 RBI at home so far this season.
• KSC's team average, after hovering below .220 a few weeks ago before their home opener, is up to .257.  They have hit 46 doubles as a team this season, fourth in the conference (nine behind league-leading Rhode Island College in that category).
• The Owls lead the all-time series with NEC 14-4, including winning six of seven in Keene (the loss came last year).

Up Next

• Keene State continues a busy week at Castleton University (8-13, 0-6 LEC) tomorrow (Tuesday, April 11) at 3:30 p.m.
• New England College's Wednesday game at Colby-Sawyer College was postponed.  They will go to Rivier University (7-16, 4-4 GNAC) on Thursday, April 13 (4:00 p.m.).