PLYMOUTH – The Plymouth State University Softball team waited four weeks and 19 games to make their home debut. Keene State proved an unsympathetic guest for the event.
Sophomore Ashlee Nicholson pitched a complete game and homered as the Owls managed a 6-3 win over the Panthers in game one of their doubleheader Tuesday at D&M Park.
Nicholson scattered nine hits and three runs while striking out seven, while senior Sarah Campbell added three RBIs to anchor the Owls. Senior Rose Eaton went 3-for-4 with two doubles and an RBI for the Panthers, and freshman Leanne Barry picked up two hits and a run as the Panthers drop their ninth-straight.
Keene wasted little time taking charge. With freshman Courtney MacFarland on the hill for Plymouth, the Owls drew a walk and traded runners on a force out before Campbell rolled a double into the gap, scoring freshman Jessica Starkey to give Keene an early 1-0 lead.
The Panthers also fought to draw blood early. Barry opened the bottom of the first with a single down the line, followed by a sacrifice by freshman Rachel Pothier to move Barry to second. Nicholson settled down from there, getting a pop out and ground out to end the threat.
Both teams went scoreless in the second, but a well-placed bunt by Campbell in the third brought freshman Jenna Patnode in to score, increasing the Owls lead to 2-0. Keene put the game away an inning later with the game’s only rally, as Nicholson launched a home run into the wind, and four other Owls added hits to score another pair. The Panthers finally reached the board when Eaton scored on a passed ball, but Plymouth remained down 5-1 after four.
The Panthers added another run in the fifth when Eaton’s second double of the day brought home freshman Heather Bartolo to make it 5-2, Campbell drove in one more run on a double to the left field gap, scoring sophomore Kristi Curry to increase the lead back to four. Plymouth answered with one more run on a triple from Barry in the bottom of the inning, but both teams went scoreless in the seventh to secure the three-run win for Keene State.
MacFarland pitched three-plus innings for the Panthers, allowing five runs on six hits and a walk while striking out four to take the loss. Freshman Lisa Illinger took over for MacFarland during Keene’s fourth-inning rally, surrendering five hits, a walk and striking out one.With the twinbill half-over, the Panthers are now 1-4 in the Little East and 3-17 overall.