The Keene State College (KSC) softball team was swept by Eastern Connecticut State University, 7-4 and 9-7, on Senior Day at Owl Athletic Complex.
Game one
Two homers from senior Jenny Galavotti and sophomore Molly St. Germain kept the owls in, and received just two hits for a 7-4 setback.
Kristyn Ryan gave the Warriors an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first when her fly ball went to the left and bounced off the fence and over for a home run solo. Keene State quickly responded when St. Germain drew a one out walk in the bottom of the inning. Galavotti followed up with her seventh home run of the season to the right field and received a 2-1 lead.
Shelby Iava/ Sports Editor
The Warrior’s Samantha Bardos’ single up the middle in the top of the third tied the game. Samantha Valentine put the Warriors back in the lead with an RBI groundout and Jessica Seymour made it 4-2 with a single to left field.
The score stayed 4-2 until the bottom of the fifth, when Senior Kayla Votto lead off with a single, and St. Germain followed with her first homerun of the season. The Owls would load the bases, as Galavotti and Brooke Arruda walked on either side of a single from Olivia Indorf, but Brittany DaMota struck out and Shae Crosby hit into a fielder’s choice.
The warriors scored a go-ahead run in the top of the seventh as Sara Pisanelli singled with two out, and Bardos lofted a fly into deep center that couldn’t be obtained and Bardos raced around the bases for an inside-the-park-homerun. Ryan followed with her second longshot of the game, ending it at 7-4.
St. Germain (10-8) took the loss, striking out two in a complete game effort. Pisanelli, Bardos, and Ryan all finished with two hits for the Warriors.
Game two
The Warrior again too an early lead with RBI singles from Ryan and Gina Georgetti in the first. The Owls again responded as Votto led off with a single and scored all the way from first on Galavotti’s double to right-center.
Senior Aliza Guerrero hit a double of her own to deep left to bring Galavotti to tie the game. A pair of Keene State errors allowed the Warriors another run in the top of the second, but KSC tied again in the bottom of the half as Gabby Bielak double and scored on Votto’s single to right.
The Warriors scored in every inning but the seventh and added another run in the third and two more more in the fourth, but the Owls batted around in the bottom of the fourth to take a 7-6 lead. Kristin Boduch reached on a fielder’s choice, Votto singled and St. Germain walked to load the bases for Galavotti who stroke a 2 RBI single up in the middle.
Pinch runner Julie Elwell stole second and Indof aid down a bunt to bring St Germain before a dropped fly by the Warriors brought in Elwell as the Owls took the lead. The Warriors tied it back up in the fifth inning. Seymour singled, moved to third on a pair of groundouts and scored on a wild pitch. Eastern then took the lead for good when Bardos homered over the trees in left center, a two-run shot after Pisanelli had walked.
Votto finished the game 4-for-4 with an RBI and scored twice, while Galavotti drove in three runs where every KSC starter reached base.
Shelby Iava can be contacted at siava@kscequinox.com