The Plymouth State University Softball team couldn’t muster the offense to power their way past powerhouse rival Keene State College in a 6-2 loss in the second game of a Little East Conference doubleheader at D&M Park.
The loss was Plymouth’s eighth-straight, and their eleventh in twelve games. The Owls, 20-6 overall, remain atop the LEC standings at 5-1, while PSU, had played 19 games away from home before Tuesday’s home openers, fell to 3-18 overall and 1-5 in the LEC.
Standout pitching performances from both Panther senior Rose Eaton and Owl junior Erin Fuoroli kept the Panthers and Owls bats silent and the game scoreless through the first three innings, but Keene couldn’t stay silent for long. The Owls’ bats came alive in the fourth inning, as Eaton allowed the leadoff walk to junior Kari Gardner. After a sacrifice bunt by Sarah Campbell, junior Melissa Scata crushed a two-run home run, her league-leading eighth of the season. After Eaton walked the next batter, freshman Katie Allenson went deep with another two-run homer, her first of the season, earning the Owls the quick 4-0 lead.
The Panthers started answering back in the fifth inning. Fuoroli gave up a leadoff single to freshman Lisa Illinger, then hit freshman Leanne Barry with a pitch. After a third-strike-wild pitch spared Plymouth an out, the Panthers had the bases loaded, and freshman Heather Bartolo ceased the opportunity with a two-run single to cut the margin to 4-2. With the tying runs in scoring position, Keene held on to get out of the inning, avoiding any further damage to stumble away with a two-run lead.
The Panthers gained an opportunity to tie the game in the sixth inning. After a leadoff groundout, both junior Cathy Aimola and Lisa Illinger drew walks. A sacrifice bunt advanced both runners into scoring position, but the Panthers were unable to capitalize on the opportunity. The Owls added a pair of insurance runs in the top of the seventh inning to put Plymouth away with the 6-2 loss.
The Panther’s hosted New England College on Thursday and will wrap up their six-game homestand on Saturday against conference opponent Rhode Island College. The Little East showdown begins at 1:00 p.m.